Police Codes of Iran – Complete List

People searching for “police codes of Iran” usually want the right number to dial, a sense of how the country’s police are organised, or the radio spelling system officers use. This guide covers all three, and it’s honest about one point. Iran does not run a public numbered radio-code system like the American “10-4” ten-codes. What it has is a small set of easy-to-remember emergency numbers, a single national police command, a standard phonetic alphabet, and a centralised security structure.

The numbers to memorise first are 110 for police, 115 for ambulance, and 125 for fire. These are confirmed by international travel guidance and work nationwide. Everything below explains the rest.

How Policing Works in Iran

Iran is policed by a single national command, the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran, known since a 2022 reorganisation as FARAJA (previously NAJA, the Niru-ye Entezami). It operates under the Ministry of Interior and covers the entire country through a unified, centralised structure rather than separate regional forces.

FARAJA brings together several specialised branches under one command:

• Police-110 is the emergency response and patrol service, named after the number citizens call.
• Traffic Police (Police-e Rahnamai va Ranandegi / Rahvar) handles urban traffic, while the Road Police (Police Rah) covers highways and intercity routes.
• Border Guard (Marzbani) secures Iran’s land and sea frontiers.
• Cyber Police (FATA) handles internet and computer crime.
• Public Security Police handles general order and crime prevention.
• Diplomatic and special protection units guard sensitive sites and officials.

Iran also operates a morality patrol known as Gasht-e Ershad (the “guidance patrol”), tasked with enforcing dress and public-conduct rules. This unit has been the subject of significant domestic and international attention and debate, particularly since 2022, and its role and operations have shifted over time. Separate from the regular police, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij also play security roles under a different command structure.

At the local level, the police station an Iranian visits to file a report is called a kalantari, the neighbourhood station found in every town and city district. More serious criminal investigation is handled by the detective branch, the Agahi (criminal investigation police). For a visitor or resident, the kalantari is the place to register a theft, accident, or lost passport and to obtain the written report that insurers and embassies ask for, so knowing the nearest one is as useful as memorising the emergency numbers.

Iran’s centralised, single-command model is comparable to other states in the wider region. Our guide to Turkey’s police codes covers a large neighbour, and our guide to UAE police codes shows a Gulf approach to centralised security.

Iranian Emergency and Dialing Codes (The Complete List)

This is what most people mean by “police codes.” Iran keeps its core emergency numbers short and service-specific.

A few notes. The three numbers to rely on are 110 (police), 115 (ambulance), and 125 (fire). English-speaking operators may not be available, so having a Persian (Farsi) speaker with you can help in an emergency. Iran does not use the American 911 as its standard, though 112 may connect from some mobile networks. For road incidents on intercity highways, the Road Police operate alongside the 110 system.

Specialised Helplines

Iran runs several dedicated lines for specific situations, operated by state bodies.

The 123 line, run by the State Welfare Organisation (Behzisti), is the social-emergency service for family crisis, child protection, and at-risk individuals. The 197 line handles complaints about police conduct. As with the main emergency numbers, foreign-language support is limited, so local assistance is valuable.

The Iranian Police Phonetic Alphabet

When officers spell names, plates, or addresses over the radio, they use a phonetic alphabet so similar-sounding letters stay distinct. For international and professional precision, Iranian forces use the NATO/ICAO spelling alphabet.

Because Persian uses the Perso-Arabic script, this Latin-based alphabet is used mainly for international communication, aviation, and names or registration plates rendered in Latin characters. Within Persian, officers spell using Persian letter names. The NATO alphabet is the standard whenever clarity must hold across languages and noisy radio conditions, particularly in aviation at Iran’s international airports.

Radio Codes and Communication Shorthand

Here’s the honest part. Iran has no single official public numeric code list equivalent to American ten-codes. Lists online claiming to show “Iranian police 10-codes” are generally copied from US sources. FARAJA uses internal codes and call signs, but they are not published for public reference and vary by branch.

What officers actually rely on, beyond plain Persian, includes:

• The phonetic alphabet above for spelling names, plates, and locations.
• Radio call signs identifying specific patrols and units.
• Some international Q-codes from radiotelephony practice.

A few Q-codes you might come across:

For a regional comparison with another country that organises security under a strong interior ministry, our guide to Egypt’s police codes is a useful reference.

The Legal Codes Iranian Police Enforce

“Police codes” can also mean the body of law officers enforce, and Iran’s system is distinct. Its law is based on Islamic (Sharia) principles as set out in the constitution, codified into national statutes:

• The Islamic Penal Code (Qanun-e Mojazat-e Eslami), which defines offences and penalties across several categories.
• The Code of Criminal Procedure, governing investigation, arrest, detention, and trial.
• The laws establishing FARAJA and its branches under the Ministry of Interior.
• Traffic regulations enforced by the Rahvar and Road Police.
• Numerous specialised statutes covering cybercrime, narcotics, and security offences.

This framework is different from the common-law and secular civil-law systems used in many other countries. Pakistan, a neighbour with a different legal heritage and its own blend of common law and Islamic provisions, offers a contrast covered in our guide to Pakistan’s police codes, while our guide to India’s police codes shows another large neighbouring system.

Tips for Tourists and Expats

A few practical pointers:

• Memorise 110, 115, and 125 for police, ambulance, and fire.
• Have a Farsi speaker available if possible, since English-language support on emergency lines is limited.
• Carry ID and documents. Authorities can request identification; keep your passport and visa accessible.
• Understand local laws and customs, which differ significantly from many visitors’ home countries, including rules on dress and public conduct.
• Check current travel advice before and during your trip, since conditions and official guidance can change.
• File reports in person at the nearest police station, and keep any reference for insurance and consular purposes.

Because regulations and the security environment can shift, travellers should rely on up-to-date official guidance in addition to saving the core numbers. Confirm the current advice from your own government’s foreign-travel service before you go and while you are in the country.

Using Police Code to Explore Further

Police Code is a global police code explorer built to make this kind of information easy to find. Instead of stitching together emergency numbers, force structures, phonetic alphabets, and legal references from scattered pages, you can browse a single organised database covering countries around the world. Whether you’re a traveller, an expat settling in, a writer after authenticity, or simply curious about how different countries handle policing, the platform brings legal codes, regulations, and procedures into one place so you can find what you need quickly.