Iran offers affordable and reliable mobile internet through several major operators. Whether you’re a tourist or a long-term visitor, prepaid SIM cards in Iran are easy to find and provide excellent 4G/LTE coverage in cities and tourist destinations.
The leading mobile operators in Iran are MCI (MCI / Hamrah-e-Aval / MCCI) , Irancell (MTN Irancell) , RighTel , and Shatel Mobile (Aptel) .
Feature Details SIM Type Physical SIM + Limited eSIM eKYC / Biometric Required by law Passport Required Yes Average SIM Price 50,000 – 150,000 IRR Average Data Cost Very affordable 5G Availability Limited pilot zones
Official Websites (With Links) Availability Prepaid SIM cards are widely available across Iran, especially in:
Airports
Mobile operator service centers
Shopping malls
Electronic markets
Convenience stores in major cities
Where to Buy You can buy SIM cards from:
Imam Khomeini International Airport (Tehran)
Official operator shops
Authorized mobile retailers
Major bus/train terminals
Large city malls
Network Frequencies (Table) Operator 2G (GSM) 3G (UMTS) 4G/LTE Bands MCI 900 / 1800 MHz 2100 MHz B3 (1800), B7 (2600), B20 (800) Irancell 900 / 1800 MHz 2100 MHz B3, B7, B1, B8 RighTel – 2100 MHz B3, B7 Shatel Mobile – MVNO Uses MCI/Irancell Network
Coverage & Speed (Table) Operator Coverage Quality Avg. 4G Speed Best For MCI Excellent (Nationwide) 20–60 Mbps Rural + highways Irancell Very Good 25–100 Mbps Cities & tourists RighTel Medium 10–40 Mbps Budget users Shatel/Aptel Good 15–50 Mbps Urban areas
At a Glance Comparison Feature MCI Irancell RighTel Shatel/Aptel Tourist Friendly ✅ ✅✅ ✅ ✅ Price Low Low Very Low Low Coverage Excellent Very Good Medium Good Speed Fast Very Fast Medium Good eSIM Limited Limited No No
Biometric User Registration All users must complete biometric SIM registration:
Passport scan
Live photo
Fingerprint (at some service centers)
This is mandatory for all tourists and residents.
Device Registration (IMEI – Hamta System) Iran requires IMEI registration for foreign phones:
Steps:
Dial *#06# to get your IMEI
Register via https://hamta.ntsw.ir
Pay device tax (if required)
Unregistered phones may be blocked after 30 days.
Mobile Apps (With Links) SIM Card Prices – MCI (Hamrah-e-Aval) Type Price (Approx.) Starter SIM 50,000 – 100,000 IRR VIP Numbers Higher Price
MCI Prepaid Plans – Data Add-Ons (With Activation Codes) Data Validity Price (IRR) Activation Code 1 GB 7 Days 100,000 *100*1#3 GB 30 Days 250,000 *100*2#7 GB 30 Days 450,000 *100*3#10 GB 60 Days 650,000 *100*4#15 GB 90 Days 850,000 *100*5#
MCI Unlimited Data Packages Plan Daily Limit (FUP) Validity Price (IRR) Unlimited Daily 2GB/Day 24 Hours 50,000 Unlimited Weekly 3GB/Day 7 Days 200,000 Unlimited Monthly 5GB/Day 30 Days 600,000
Feature Packages MCI Feature Price (IRR) Activation Code Missed Call Alert Free Auto SIM Protection Free Auto Call Waiting Free *43#Voicemail Free *166#
App Data Validity Price (IRR) WhatsApp 3 GB 30 Days 150,000 Instagram 5 GB 30 Days 250,000 Telegram 5 GB 30 Days 200,000 YouTube 7 GB 30 Days 350,000
MCI Data-Only SIM Plan Data Validity Price (IRR) Data SIM Basic 5 GB 30 Days 200,000 Data SIM Plus 15 GB 60 Days 600,000
Irancell (MTN) Section Data Add-Ons Data Validity Price (IRR) 1.5 GB 7 Days 90,000 5 GB 30 Days 230,000 10 GB 60 Days 500,000 20 GB 90 Days 900,000
Irancell Unlimited Plans Plan Daily FUP Validity Price (IRR) Daily 2GB/day 1 Day 45,000 Weekly 3GB/day 7 Days 180,000 Monthly 6GB/day 30 Days 550,000
Irancell Data Feature Packages Feature Price (IRR) Speed Boost 50,000 Night Data 100,000 Rollover Data 80,000
App Data Price (IRR) Validity WhatsApp 3 GB 120,000 30 Days Instagram 5 GB 220,000 30 Days Telegram 5 GB 180,000 30 Days
Irancell Data-Only SIM Plan Data Validity Price (IRR) LTE Modem SIM 10 GB 30 Days 400,000 Router SIM 30 GB 60 Days 1,000,000
RighTel Data Add-Ons Data Validity Price (IRR) 1 GB 7 Days 80,000 3 GB 30 Days 200,000 8 GB 60 Days 450,000
RighTel Unlimited Plan FUP Validity Price Daily 2GB 1 Day 40,000 Weekly 3GB/day 7 Days 150,000
RighTel Feature Packages Feature Price Night Internet 90,000 Turbo Speed 60,000
App Data Price WhatsApp 2 GB 100,000 Instagram 4 GB 180,000
RighTel Data-Only SIM Plan Data Validity Price LTE SIM 5 GB 30 Days 180,000
Shatel / Aptel
Data Add-Ons Shatel Data Validity Price 2 GB 30 Days 150,000 6 GB 60 Days 350,000
Shatel Unlimited Plans Plan Fair Use Price Monthly Unlimited 5GB/day 500,000
Shatel Feature Packages Feature Price Rollover Data Free Turbo Boost 70,000
App Data Price Instagram 5 GB 220,000
Shatel Data-Only SIM Plan Data Price Data SIM 10 GB 500,000
How to Check the Remaining Balance Operator Code MCI *140#Irancell *555*1#RighTel *123#Shatel Via app
How to Check Your SIM Number Operator Code MCI *#61#Irancell *#62#RighTel Send blank SMS to 2020 Shatel Check in app
Tourist SIM in Iran Tourist SIMs are available at:
Tehran Airport
Operator headquarters
Passport-based registration
Preloaded data
Short-term validity
Digital eSIM Providers for Iran While local eSIM is limited, international providers work well:
Airalo
Holafly
Nomad
Yesim
Other Connectivity Options
Pocket WiFi rental
Hotel WiFi
Local cafés with public WiFi
VPN services (recommended)
SIM Activation Process
Insert SIM
Submit passport
Complete biometric scan
Wait for the activation SMS
Restart phone
Help Line Numbers Operator Support Number MCI 9990 Irancell 700 RighTel 200 Shatel 4030
Top-Up Methods (Recharge / “Mathude”) You can recharge via:
Scratch cards
Operator apps
ATMs (Iranian cards)
Local mobile shops
Common Recharge Code:*140*RechargeCode#
Conclusion Prepaid SIM cards in Iran are cheap, fast, and widely available . Among all operators, MCI offers the best nationwide coverage , while Irancell provides the fastest mobile internet in major cities . For tourists, airport SIM cards and international eSIMs offer the simplest setup.
Iran remains one of the most budget-friendly countries for mobile connectivity, making it easy to stay online throughout your journey.
