+98 explained
The Iran country code, 98, is what you dial before a Iran number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Iran dialing code, Iran calling code, or Iran phone code. In the Iran phone number format, +98 comes first, then the area code, such as 21 for Tehran, then the local number.
- Country code
- +98
- The 0098 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- IR, IRN
- Use the IR country code or the IRN country code on forms and passports. To call Iran, dial +98
- Used in
- Iran
- No other country or territory dials +98
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +98
- Number length
- 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 digits
- After +98
- Time now in Iran
- Iran mobile number format
- 0912 345 6789
- From abroad: +98 912 345 6789
- Iran landline number format
- 021 2345 6789
- From abroad: +98 21 2345 6789
+98 area codes of main cities
Each +98 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +98, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Iran, callers leave out +98 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Tehran is +98 21 from abroad and 021 at home.
- Tehran
- +9821
- Mashhad
- +9851
- Isfahan
- +9831
- Karaj
- +9826
- Shiraz
- +9871
- Tabriz
- +9841
- Qom
- +9825
- Ahvaz
- +9861
- Kermanshah
- +9883
Iran phone number types
The first digits of a Iran number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Iran phone number, as dialed inside Iran and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Iran
“Alo?”
Hello, said only when answering the telephone, never as a general greeting
Reply
“Alo”
Iran's regulator updated its national numbering plan on 22 April 2026, the most recent filing it has on record with the ITU.
Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Iran national numbering planEvery one of Iran's fixed-line area codes is exactly two digits, far shorter than its mobile and service codes.
Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Iran national numbering planSome of Iran's non-geographic fixed lines carry codes as long as 9430130, seven digits, far longer than any area code.
Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Iran national numbering planIran reserves the code 96 for short service numbers, which the plan allows to run from just 4 digits up to 10.
Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Iran national numbering plan
What it costs to call Iran (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.56/minMobile from $0.58/min
Only 82 of 220 countries cost more to call than Iran.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Iran?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Iran fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 stays in the number
Iran's national prefix 0 goes before every number for calls inside the country. The regulator says it must not be dialled from abroad: +98 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 98 21 2345 6789
- Does not connect
- 011 98 021 2345 6789
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Iran, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 98 21 2345 6789
- Does not connect
- 00 98 21 2345 6789
Questions about +98
Which country is +98?
+98, or country code 98, belongs to Iran alone. No other country shares it.
What is +98?
+98 is the part you dial before an Iranian number when you call from another country. It replaces the national prefix 0.
What is the difference between +98 and 0098?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 is Iran's own international prefix, so 0098 and +98 reach the same number from Europe and most of the world. From the US and Canada, dial 011 98 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +98?
Yes. Iran's regulator says the national prefix 0 must not be dialled from abroad. Dial +98 21 2345 6789, not +98 021 2345 6789.
Can I text a +98 number?
Yes. Write the number as +98 without its leading 0, and your carrier sends the text abroad at its international rate.
How much does it cost to call Iran?
A call to an Iranian mobile costs more than a call to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
What is the area code for Tehran?
Tehran's area code is 021. Drop the leading 0 from abroad and dial +98 21 instead.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Iran national numbering plan