Distillers Alcohol regulations in Iran
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Iran, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched March 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in March 2026 from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page. Duty rates, fees and rules change often: confirm with the regulator, a customs broker or local counsel before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Status
- Partial prohibition
- Legal drinking age
- None
- Legal purchase age
- None
Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- none available
- Authority
- not applicable
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- none
- Licences or registrations
- none available
- Authority
- Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA)
Product and label registration
- Required
- no
- Process
- Not applicable; registering commercial alcohol brands, labels, or appellations is denied under Iranian intellectual property and public health rules as contrary to Islamic law and public order.
- Authority
- Iran Food and Drug Administration (IFDA) / Intellectual Property Center
Import rules
Importation of alcoholic beverages into Iran is strictly prohibited and categorized as smuggling under Article 703 of Book Five of the Islamic Penal Code and IRICA customs laws. Offenders face 6 months to 5 years imprisonment, up to 74 lashes, and a fine ten times the commercial value, alongside confiscation of transport vehicles if carrying more than 20 litres.
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
not applicable
Excise and taxes
not applicable
Retail and distribution
Banned. Commercial retail stores, state liquor shops, restaurants, and bars serving alcohol are illegal. Under Articles 702 and 704 of the Islamic Penal Code, selling, buying, distributing, or running premises for drinking alcohol carries penal sentences and fines.
Online sale and delivery
banned, strictly prohibited under the Islamic Penal Code and cybercrime legislation
Labelling
not applicable
Advertising
Banned entirely. All marketing, promotion, and sponsorship of alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited across all media platforms.
Legal definitions of spirits
not confirmed
Dry or restricted areas
Nationwide prohibition across all provinces and free trade zones. Limited non-commercial exemption applies strictly to recognized non-Muslim religious minorities (Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians) for non-public domestic religious sacraments under Article 266 of the Islamic Penal Code.
Recent changes
- Heightened law enforcement operations and border interdictions targeting organized black-market liquor smuggling routes.
- Judicial crackdowns and severe sentencing, including capital murder prosecutions, against clandestine producers following fatal toxic methanol poisonings across multiple provinces.
Opportunities for exporters
There are no legal export or market entry opportunities for foreign alcoholic beverage producers in Iran due to comprehensive prohibition under Islamic law. Trade is strictly restricted to non-alcoholic malt beverages containing 0.0% ABV.
Regulators
Sources
- UNODC - Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Articles 264-266, 702-703)
- Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) - Islamic Penal Code: Book Five
- WIPO - Refusal of Protection under Lisbon Agreement citing Islamic Penal Code Articles 701-703
- Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA)
Selling into Iran or buying from it?