Can I send money to someone in Iran?

Is there a way to get around sanctions to send money to loved ones in Iran?

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Rosie Russell

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Jason Loewenthal

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Key takeaways

  • Australia implements UN sanctions on Iran and adds its own autonomous measures. They are targeted, not a blanket ban on all payments, but no Australian bank or mainstream transfer provider will send money to Iran.
  • Attempting to circumvent sanctions, even via third countries, risks severe legal penalties including money laundering charges.
  • Australian banks and major transfer providers like Western Union cannot send funds to Iran.
Australia's sanctions on Iran are targeted rather than a blanket ban on every payment, but no Australian bank or mainstream transfer provider will send money to Iran, and it is an offence to make an asset available, directly or indirectly, to a person or entity on DFAT's Consolidated List. Despite this, according to Reddit, there is an exchange called Express Money Exchange in Australia that transfers money to Iran but it is illegal. They provide online and in-store transfers but the service is highly risky and we recommend avoiding it.

Find out below what you need to know about sanctions when it comes to sending money to someone in Iran.

Must read: Why can't I send money to Iran?

Because of sanctions in place, no bank or money transfer company can send money from Australia to Iran. Australia's sanctions on Iran are targeted rather than a blanket ban on every payment: it is an offence to make an asset available, directly or indirectly, to a person or entity on DFAT's Consolidated List, and separate measures restrict specific goods, services and commercial activities. Some otherwise-prohibited activity can be permitted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In practice, though, Australian banks and the major transfer networks will not process payments to Iran, so check DFAT's Consolidated List and the Australian Sanctions Office before you pay.

If you send money to another country without sanctions against Iran and then pass those funds onto a recipient in Iran, you may face tough legal and financial consequences. You can read more about the sanctions on Iran on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website.

Sanctions and Iran

Australia first sanctioned Iran in 2006, due to Iran's refusal to give up its uranium enrichment program for nuclear weapons and working against the UN's own sanctions. Further sanctions were added in 2013, related to natural gas trade and banking. UN measures were then eased in 2015 under Security Council Resolution 2231 and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. After the United Kingdom, France and Germany triggered that resolution's snapback mechanism in August 2025, the eased UN sanctions were automatically reimposed on 28 September 2025. The measures now in force include import and export bans on nuclear and ballistic missile related goods, prohibitions on providing certain services to Iran, and asset freezes and travel bans on designated people and entities. Designations change, so check DFAT's Consolidated List on the day you plan to pay.

Australian banks won't handle a transfer to Iran and popular money transfer providers like Western Union and MoneyGram don't offer their services to Iran. Even if you can find a money transfer provider willing to help you send money to Iran you will then need to be very careful about the purpose of the transfer.

There are several complex rules and regulations surrounding money transfers to Iran and there have been some highly publicised cases of people or companies unwittingly falling foul of the law.

Sending money to sanctioned countries and the potential consequences

There are ways that people have chosen to get around these economic sanctions. But we stress that doing so is illegal and exposes you to severe legal and financial penalties. If you choose to route your money through a country that doesn't have sanctions against your intended destination, the UK, for example, you could be charged with money laundering.

What is money laundering?

Money laundering is any activity that illegally obtains money and attempts to conceal the source, destination or identity of those funds. If you're convicted of money laundering crimes, you face years in prison and significant fines.

Interested in sending money to another country? View our full list here.

Sources

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.
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Rosie Russell was a money transfers producer at Finder. She is on a mission to make personal finance easier to understand. Rosie has a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. See full bio

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