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Can I send money to someone in Iran?

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

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Adrienne Fuller

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The US has the discretion to grant you special permission to send money to family members in countries like Iran. You must be able to prove that your funds are not for commercial purposes, and how much you send could be limited. Refer to the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations for more information.

Sanctions and Iran

The US sanctioned Iran after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, further expanding economic sanctions when Iran refused to give up its uranium enrichment program for nuclear weapons. The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control severely limits US citizens from committing funds or other financial assets in Iran.

However, U.S. depository institutions are allowed to handle funds transfers, through intermediary third-country banks, to or from Iran noncommercial family remittances and travel-related remittances, among others. But add to this the fact that people in the US are prohibited from dealing with some specific Iranian banks due to their links with financing terrorism and it quickly becomes apparent that sending funds to Iran is very difficult.

Most US banks will not handle a transfer to Iran for you, 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 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 publicized cases of people unwittingly falling foul of the law. Obtaining advice from the Office of Foreign Assets Control before sending a transfer is recommended.

Can I send money to someone in a country with sanctions?

Must read: Section 560.550 Certain noncommercial, personal remittances to or from Iran authorized

According to the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations by the US Treasury:
“(a) In cases in which the transfer involves a noncommercial, personal remittance, the transfer of funds to or from Iran or for or on behalf of an individual ordinarily resident in Iran, other than an individual whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 560.211, is authorized, provided that the transfer is processed by a United States depository institution or a United States registered broker or dealer in securities and not by any other U.S. person; does not involve debiting or crediting an Iranian account; and is not by, to, or through the Government of Iran, as defined in § 560.304.

(b) Noncommercial, personal remittances do not include charitable donations to or for the benefit of an entity or funds transfers for use in supporting or operating a business, including a family-owned enterprise.”

This means that for the average sender, getting permission to send money to Iran is going to be difficult, but not impossible. By consulting legal help, it is possible to appeal to the US Treasury and get permission to send remittances to family and loved onan — just be prepared for a potentially lengthy process.

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 by the US 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. In the US, money laundering is illegal under federal and state laws. The specific laws about what constitutes money laundering and its prosecution may differ. However, if you’re convicted of money laundering crimes, you face years in prison and significant fines.

One option for sending money to Iran commonly touted on online forums is to first send your money to a friend or relative in the UK, from where it can then be sent on to your beneficiary in Iran (transfers between the UK and Iran are allowed but restricted).

But this option is definitely not recommended as it raises the possibility of money laundering, and depending on where you live it may even be illegal. If you hold a bank account in another country as a resident of that nation, research the rules in place for sending money to a sanctioned nation from that account.

Foreign exchange rates explained

The exchange rate determines how much one country’s currency is worth in another currency. When a country’s currency is strong, it yields more money when exchanging it in a country with a weak currency.

However, most countries’ exchange rates are flexible, which means they can fluctuate with the market. Factors that influence the exchange rate include interest rates, economic stability and inflation.

When in doubt

If you’re in doubt as to whether you can send money to a sanctioned country, always assume that transferring funds from the US to a sanctioned nation is illegal unless a lawyer tells you otherwise. As the US Treasury advises, “You cannot do something indirectly that you would not be able to do directly.” For more information about sending money to Iran, look into your state’s laws on money laundering, the US Treasury’s updated list of sanctioned nations and the laws that dictate where your bank can make transfers.

Frequently asked questions

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Adrienne Fuller is the former head of publishing at Finder US. With a decade of experience creating guides in finance and education, she aimed to deliver the accurate and transparent information she wished she had when she made some of life's important financial decisions. Adrienne has a BA from Colorado College and loves to hike with her two Catahoula dogs. See full bio

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29 Responses

    Al's avatar
    AlSeptember 24, 2018

    Sur:
    How can I send large amounts of Dollars to Iran or is it possible to take it with me knowing Iran is under toughest US sanctions
    Considering all restrictions by US Treasury and OFAC not being labelled as money laundering, because it’s the money I’m transferring from selling my property in US and I’m an Iranin American and moving back home?

      Joshua's avatarFinder
      JoshuaSeptember 25, 2018Finder

      Hi Al,

      Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)

      Because of economic sanctions, it would be difficult to send money from the US to Iran. Not many banks and traditional money transfer service companies would handle a transfer for this purpose.

      If you are going to bring money personally to Iran, you would still need to declare the money you are going to bring with you especially if it exceeds $10,000. You would also need specific license authorization from OFAC to legally bring the money to Iran.

      I would recommend you directly get in touch with a legal expert to help you know the best course of action that you should take.

      I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Cheers,
      Joshua

    NRG's avatar
    NRGSeptember 16, 2018

    Can be sent Dollar to Iran via post (For example from China)?

      Joshua's avatarFinder
      JoshuaSeptember 17, 2018Finder

      Hi BRG,

      Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)

      Since the economic sanction to Iran is generally applies to all money transfer, it would be difficult to determine whether that is possible or not. However, when exploring alternative ways of sending money to Iran, please understand that you might potentially be violating the law and therefore, might be subject to stiff penalties.

      If possible, seek legal advice to ensure you are abiding by the law.

      I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Cheers,
      Joshua

    Kasra's avatar
    KasraSeptember 13, 2018

    Hello, I want to send $500 to my family in Iran each month, from the US. How can I send it without facing any problem?

      Joshua's avatarFinder
      JoshuaSeptember 17, 2018Finder

      Hi Kasra,

      Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)

      Sending money to Iran can be difficult due to economic sanctions. According to our page, you can try sending money to Iran through bitcoin.

      Please be careful when sending money to Iran. To make sure you don’t break any law, seek legal counsel to learn more.

      I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Cheers,
      Joshua

    Rahul's avatar
    RahulSeptember 12, 2018

    Hello sir, i have 144000000 Iranian real, can change in Indian money

      johnbasanes's avatarFinder
      johnbasanesSeptember 12, 2018Finder

      Hi Rahul,

      Thank you for leaving a question.

      If you are in Iran and would want to change your current currency into Indian Rupee, you may be able to do this by visiting a local money exchange shop or a local bank and have the exchange done there. Another way is for you to visit the Iranian Airport to have if converted via a money exchange shop there. Hope this helps you.

      Cheers,
      Reggie

    Natalie naraghi's avatar
    NatalieJune 1, 2018

    How many days can it take to transfer money from Iran to the U.K.? Is there a limit to how much can be sent? Thanks in advance ?

      joelmarcelo's avatar
      joelmarceloJune 1, 2018

      Hi Natalie,

      Thanks for leaving a question on Finder.

      Contrary to popular belief in the British Iranian community, the transfer of funds to and from Iran has never been prohibited. The transfer process may take from 3 days to a week and it may vary from provider to provider if you do it via bank transaction. There are providers who can do the same day in the table above on this page.

      We have a guide and comparison in sending money to the UK. You may want to check it out and weigh your options.

      Cheers,
      Joel

      Cheers,
      Joel

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