Cross-Border Jurisdictional Protocol
Iran is not a party to the Hague Service Convention. Complicating matters further, the United States and Iran have not maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1980, which removes the ordinary diplomatic channel many non-Hague jurisdictions rely on for Letters Rogatory. Practical alternatives, such as service through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran (which represents U.S. interests) or FRCP Rule 4(f)(3) court-ordered alternative service, are typically what litigants must consider, and counsel should expect this to be one of the more legally and logistically complex service situations covered on this site.
Given the absence of formal diplomatic relations and Iran's non-Hague status, we help build the factual record needed to support a motion for court-ordered alternative service under FRCP Rule 4(f)(3).
Discuss alternative service strategy →We advise on the practical realities and limitations of routing communications through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which represents U.S. interests in the absence of direct diplomatic relations.
Discuss interests-section options →Any documents prepared for potential use in connection with Iranian proceedings or authorities should be translated into Persian (Farsi). We prepare compliant translations where applicable.
Prepare a compliant translation →Complete National Jurisdiction
Active network of local agents, court officers, and Central Authority specialists covering every administrative region.
All international document handoffs are executed pursuant to local sovereignty statutes and returned with court-certified evidentiary declarations.
Judicial Knowledge Base
No. Iran is not a party to the Convention, and service into Iran is further complicated by the lack of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran since 1980.
It removes the ordinary diplomatic channel most non-Hague Letters Rogatory rely on, since there is no U.S. embassy in Iran to transmit requests through directly.
Litigants typically explore routing through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which represents U.S. interests, or seek a court order for alternative service under FRCP Rule 4(f)(3), given the practical barriers to conventional methods.
Persian (Farsi), the official language of Iran.
Generally yes. Iran presents some of the most significant practical and legal obstacles among the jurisdictions covered on this site, and each case should be assessed individually with experienced counsel before selecting a strategy.
Consult with our international legal support specialists about service of process in Iran.