Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran
Iran: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran, 1970–2024
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran is 1.45 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran peaked at 5.02 billion BoP, current US$ in 2017 and was at its lowest, -361.95 million BoP, current US$, in 1990.
That places Iran 84th out of 202 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 28.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 65.20 million BoP, current US$ | +132.9% |
| 1972 | 91.20 million BoP, current US$ | +39.9% |
| 1973 | 561.50 million BoP, current US$ | +515.7% |
| 1974 | 323.50 million BoP, current US$ | -42.4% |
| 1975 | 494.40 million BoP, current US$ | +52.8% |
| 1976 | -101.59 million BoP, current US$ | -120.5% |
| 1977 | 345.69 million BoP, current US$ | -440.3% |
| 1978 | 909.06 million BoP, current US$ | +163.0% |
| 1979 | 164.35 million BoP, current US$ | -81.9% |
| 1980 | 80.91 million BoP, current US$ | -50.8% |
| 1981 | 28.22 million BoP, current US$ | -65.1% |
| 1982 | -136.09 million BoP, current US$ | -582.2% |
| 1983 | -78.52 million BoP, current US$ | -42.3% |
| 1984 | 42.69 million BoP, current US$ | -154.4% |
| 1985 | -38.15 million BoP, current US$ | -189.4% |
| 1986 | -112.44 million BoP, current US$ | +194.7% |
| 1987 | -307.63 million BoP, current US$ | +173.6% |
| 1988 | 60.54 million BoP, current US$ | -119.7% |
| 1989 | -19.42 million BoP, current US$ | -132.1% |
| 1990 | -361.95 million BoP, current US$ | +1763.8% |
| 1991 | 22.59 million BoP, current US$ | -106.2% |
| 1992 | 8.50 million BoP, current US$ | -62.4% |
| 1993 | 207.55 million BoP, current US$ | +2341.8% |
| 1994 | 2.00 million BoP, current US$ | -99.0% |
| 1995 | 17.00 million BoP, current US$ | +750.0% |
| 1996 | 26.00 million BoP, current US$ | +52.9% |
| 1997 | 53.00 million BoP, current US$ | +103.8% |
| 1998 | 24.00 million BoP, current US$ | -54.7% |
| 1999 | 35.00 million BoP, current US$ | +45.8% |
| 2000 | 39.00 million BoP, current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2001 | 408.12 million BoP, current US$ | +946.5% |
| 2002 | 3.52 billion BoP, current US$ | +762.3% |
| 2003 | 2.88 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.2% |
| 2004 | 3.04 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 2.89 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 2.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -19.8% |
| 2007 | 2.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -12.9% |
| 2008 | 1.98 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 2.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +50.7% |
| 2010 | 3.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.3% |
| 2011 | 4.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.2% |
| 2012 | 4.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 3.05 billion BoP, current US$ | -34.6% |
| 2014 | 2.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -31.0% |
| 2015 | 2.05 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 3.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +64.5% |
| 2017 | 5.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +48.8% |
| 2018 | 2.37 billion BoP, current US$ | -52.7% |
| 2019 | 1.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -36.5% |
| 2020 | 1.34 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.0% |
| 2021 | 1.43 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 1.42 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.2% |
| 2024 | 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.9% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.14 billion BoP, current US$, 1.3× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Iran's 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.63 billion BoP, current US$, 89% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +2341.8% | 8.50 million BoP, current US$ | 207.55 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1990 | -1763.8% | -19.42 million BoP, current US$ | -361.95 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2001 | +946.5% | 39.00 million BoP, current US$ | 408.12 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2002 | +762.3% | 408.12 million BoP, current US$ | 3.52 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1995 | +750.0% | 2.00 million BoP, current US$ | 17.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1982 | -582.2% | 28.22 million BoP, current US$ | -136.09 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 288.13 million BoP, current US$ | -101.59 million BoP, current US$ | 909.06 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | -47.99 million BoP, current US$ | -307.63 million BoP, current US$ | 80.91 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.37 million BoP, current US$ | -361.95 million BoP, current US$ | 207.55 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.21 billion BoP, current US$ | 39.00 million BoP, current US$ | 3.52 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.21 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.43 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.34 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.50 billion BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More economy & growth data for Iran
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 89.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0002 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.9766 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 1.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.003 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 15.83 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 130.68 % change on previous year (1982)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Iran was 1.45 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 5.02 billion BoP, current US$ in 2017.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was -361.95 million BoP, current US$ in 1990.
- How does Iran rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Iran ranks 84th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.