.ir Domain Names
6 registrars compared — cheapest from $43.00 at Netim
Delegated in 1994, .ir has quietly become the digital address for entities tied to Iran, yet its registry is run by a fundamental-science research institute — an unlikely steward for a national domain.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netim Cheapest | $43.00 | $43.00 | $31.50 | $215.00 | $430.00 | Visit |
| 2 | Regery | $46.99 | $46.99 | $46.99 | $234.95 | $469.90 | Visit |
| 3 | EuroDNS | $51.71 | $51.71 | $51.71 | $258.55 | $517.10 | Visit |
| 4 | INWX | $90.00 | $90.00 | $90.00 | $450.00 | $900.00 | Visit |
| 5 | Gandi | $93.60 | $183.98 | $80.03 | $829.52 | $1749.42 | Visit |
| 6 | Regtons | $131.96 | $131.96 | $131.96 | $659.80 | $1319.60 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
A Domain Stewarded by Physicists
Most country-code domains are managed by telecommunications ministries or dedicated registries. Not .ir. The Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM) has overseen the namespace since its delegation on April 6, 1994. IPM is a theoretical physics and mathematics research center — an unusual background for a registry, but one that has steered .ir through decades of geopolitical turbulence. The registry operates via nic.ir, and its WHOIS server remains whois.nic.ir. That a scientific body, not a government agency, holds the keys to a national ccTLD says something about Iran's early internet governance: academic networks led the way, and they never fully let go.
Who Actually Gets a .ir? The Two-Tier Access
The question 'ir domain country' — asked hundreds of times a month — points to a real curiosity: is .ir only for Iran? The answer is nuanced. Direct second-level registrations under .ir are generally open to Iranians and non-Iranians alike. The restrictions start below that: third-level names under subdomains like .co.ir or .ac.ir carry varied rules and are restricted to Iranian-related entities. So a foreign company can grab a clean .ir for brand protection, but a university or business seeking a structured subdomain must prove an Iranian connection. It's a hybrid model — part open namespace, part national enclave — shaped by the country's legal and economic realities.
The Dispute Policy You Won't Find Elsewhere
Cybersquatting is a problem everywhere, but Iran resolved it with a homegrown mechanism. .ir operates under the IRNIC Dispute Resolution Policy, not the UDRP used by most ccTLDs. IRNIC — the registry arm of IPM — set its own rules for handling abusive registrations, which means disputes over Iranian domains are settled by Iranian institutions under Iranian rules. For foreign registrants, that's a critical detail: you're not agreeing to WIPO arbitration; you're entering a framework where the registry itself holds more sway. It's a reminder that 'international' norms don't always reach every corner of the DNS.
Pricing Spread: From Bargain to Premium
The pricing for .ir varies dramatically across the 6+ registrars that carry it. At the low end, Netim offers it for around $43.00, renewals at $43.00. But some registrars charge several times that, making .ir one of the wider-spread ccTLDs in price terms. Why? Sanctions-related compliance, payout complexities, and the registry's niche operations all factor in. When comparing, don't assume a single 'market rate' — shop around. The cheap option may work fine, but the premium registrars often bundle additional support for documentation or transfer logistics, which can matter for a domain tied to a politically sensitive country.
The Iran Question: Why This Domain Carries Political Weight
In the broader family of Asian ccTLDs — .in, .cn, .la, .am, .ph — .ir is the one that intersects directly with international sanctions and diplomacy. Registering an .ir isn't just a technical act; it's a statement that your organization connects to Iran, for better or worse. That's exactly why non-Iranian companies sometimes defensively register their brand under .ir, to block squatting in a market they may enter later. But it's also why some registrars shy away. The domain's geolocation is unambiguous: Iran, in Southern Asia, with Persian (Farsi) as its official language. There's nothing neutral about the address — and that's its power.