Poland in Iran

Historical view 

Polish-Iranian diplomatic relations began in 1474 with an embassy sent by Casimir IV Jagiellon to the Iranian ruler Uzun Hassan. Bilateral contacts intensified in the 16th century. Faced with the Turkish threat, European countries began to consider the concept of a major coalition war with Turkey. During the reign of Sigismund III Vasa, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth established trade relations with Persia (textiles, carpets, and, above all, horses were imported from Persia). In Isfahan, the tomb of Teodor Miranowicz, envoy and ambassador of King John III Sobieski to Shah Safi II (Suleiman I) of Persia, who died there in 1686 is located.

After the fall of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the failed uprisings, a wave of Polish emigrants reached the Middle East in large numbers, not only to Turkey but also to Persia. Poles who found themselves in the Shah's state distinguished themselves as railway builders, engineers, doctors, and soldiers. A number of Poles joined the Persian army, some attaining high positions. Persia was one of only two countries (the other being the Ottoman Empire) that did not recognize the partition of Poland. Iran was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of the Second Polish Republic, responding to a note from the Chief of State informing this fact. On March 19, 1927, a Treaty of Friendship was signed between the Republic of Poland and the Persian Empire, which is still in force. The interwar period was a time of developing relations – the Republic of Poland was represented by the Legation in Tehran and the Consulate in Tabriz. Political contacts were relatively intense, and it is interesting to note that in 1939, President Ignacy Mościcki presented the then-heir to the throne, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, with a Polish RWD-13 tourist plane, delivered to Iran in the summer of 1939.

Contemporary contacts

The first high-level visit after the democratic transformation was made by Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski to Tehran in July 1991. Subsequent years saw visits from, among others, Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz (2015), Prime Minister Leszek Miller (2003), and Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechociński (2015). Iran was visited by the following Foreign Ministers: Władysław Bartoszewski (2001), Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz (2003), Radosław Sikorski (2014), and Zbigniew Rau (2022). The Foreign Ministers maintain regular dialogue, meeting at multilateral events, particularly on the sidelines of UN General Assembly sessions.

Iranian officials visited Poland, including Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velejati in 1993, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi in 2003 and 2004, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in 2016, and, in the same year, Iranian Vice President and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi, who met with President Andrzej Duda.

Despite the relatively limited agenda, political contacts are maintained at both the official and working levels. An important aspect of these contacts is the living and still cherished memory of the positive role Iran and Iranians played in 1942 during the evacuation of tens of thousands of Polish soldiers and civilians from prisons and labor camps in the USSR as part of General Anders' Army. Activities are carried out in the area of ​​cultural and scientific contacts as well as development cooperation.

Economic overview

Iran is one of the largest economies in the Middle East, with an estimated population of approximately 92 million inhabitants. Iran’s nominal Gross Domestic Product amounted to approximately USD 362.7 billion in 2025. The Iranian economy is based on the hydrocarbon, agriculture, industry and services sectors. Iran has the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves. Economic activity and government revenues remain largely dependent on the oil and gas sector and are therefore vulnerable to fluctuations in oil production and exports as well as international commodity prices.

The economic situation of the Islamic Republic of Iran deteriorated significantly in 2025. Real GDP contracted by 2.8%, while inflation remained above 40%. The deterioration was the result of intensified sanctions, lower investment, currency depreciation and rising geopolitical tensions. Armed conflicts in 2025 and 2026 disrupted production, transport and logistics, negatively affecting domestic economic activity.

International sanctions remain one of the main constraints on the Iranian economy. The US continues to impose extensive sanctions covering Iranian oil exports, financial institutions and companies. In September 2025, UN sanctions that had previously been suspended under the JCPOA were reinstated through the so-called “snapback” mechanism, further increasing the costs and risks associated with international trade and financial transactions involving Iran. Limited access to the international banking system, trade finance and insurance remains a significant obstacle to foreign business activity. At present, bank transfers between the EU and the IRI cannot be carried out.

Trade between Iran and the European Union remains at a historically low level compared with the period preceding the reintroduction of sanctions. In 2025, total trade in goods between the EU and Iran amounted to approximately EUR 3.7 billion. EU exports to Iran amounted to approximately EUR 3.0 billion, while imports from Iran amounted to approximately EUR 750 million. Thus, the EU recorded a trade surplus with Iran of approximately EUR 2.2 billion.

Bilateral trade between Poland and Iran amounted to approximately EUR 57 million in 2025. Polish exports to Iran were worth approximately EUR 28.0 million, while imports from Iran amounted to approximately EUR 29.1 million. Iran remains a relatively small trading partner for Poland.

Inflation remains one of the most serious problems facing the Iranian economy. In 2025, annual consumer price inflation amounted to approximately 42.2%. In August 2026, the exchange rate stood at approximately 2.14 million IRR per EUR 1. Currency depreciation significantly reduced household purchasing power and increased the cost of imported goods.

The Iranian labour market is characterized by a low level of labour-force participation, particularly among women, rather than solely by an exceptionally high official unemployment rate. In 2025, the unemployment rate was estimated at approximately 8.3%. Approximately 41% of the working-age population is employed, while female labour-force participation remains particularly low, at around 12–14%. The low level of female labour-force participation is partly due to cultural factors.

Links:
Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture 
Trade Promotion Organization 
Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran – Invest in Iran
Iran International Exhibitions Co. 

In the period of March-September 1942 about 114 thousand Poles were were evacuated from the Soviet Union to Iran, and then to Iraq and Palestine. Beside soldiers of the Polish Army of general Anders, there were 25 thousand civilians including more than 13 thousand children. For those civilians Iran became for more than two years their second home, especially for children of whom a considerable part were orphans. In Isfahan there were almost twenty boarding schools established for them.

Due to hunger and epidemic diseases they suffered in Russia, many of them died in Iran. There are two Polish cemeteries, six Polish sections and several single Polish graves at different cemeteries in Iran - all together 2806 graves, including 650 military graves (none of the Polish officers and soldiers buried in Iran was killed in action - they died of malnourishment and epidemic diseases).

Tehran, Dulab - Polish Cemetery - 1892 graves (408 military graves):

• Bandar-Anzali - Polish Cemetery, situated at Armenian Cemetery - 639 graves (163 military graves)
• Tehran - Polish section at the Jewish Cemetery - 56 graves (13 military graves);
• Ahwaz - Polish section at Catholic cemetery - 102 graves (22 military graves);
• Mashad - Polish section at Armenian Cemetery - 29 graves (16 military graves);
• Isfahan - Polish section at Armenian Cemetery - 18 graves (1 military grave);
• Tehran, Golhak – Commonwealth War Cemetery - 10 Polish military graves;

There are also two Polish graves that may be considered of particular historical interest:

• The grave of Teodor MIRANOWICZ, Envoy of the king of Poland, who died and was buried in Isfahan in  1686;
• The grave of general Antoni RADZIWILL de BOROWSKI, who died in Tehran in 1898, buried at Catholic Cemetery, Dulab, Tehran.