Greece–Iran relations

Greece–Iran relations were formally established between the Kingdom of Greece and Qajar Iran on 19 November 1902. Greece and Iran share one of the oldest documented relationships in world history, beginning in the Achaemenid Empire when the Persians encountered the Greeks.

Their interactions mostly included conflict—such as the Greco-Persian Wars—but also cooperation, with Persian involvement in Greek political affairs and Greek mercenaries serving in Persian armies. After Alexander's conquest of the Achaemenid Empire, Greek and Iranian cultures fused across a vast region, producing the Hellenistic world, where Greek art, language, and philosophy blended with Iranian traditions in cities like Seleucia, Taxila, and Ai-Khanoum. Under the Parthian and Sassanid Empires, Greeks lived throughout Iran as soldiers, traders, and craftsmen, while intellectual exchange persisted in philosophy, astronomy, and medicine.

In the modern era, the two countries have had political spats and escalations on numerous occasions. Out of all European countries, Greece has had the highest level of hostilities with Iran, and it was also the only European country to support the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the United States in 2020. In response, the Iranian government threatened Greece with retaliation if it allowed the American military to use Greek territory as a staging ground against Iran.

Modern Greece has been consistently among the most anti-Iranian countries in the world. In 2019, Greece expressed the highest level of support among European countries for the US canceling of JCPOA. Greece has often supported cultural cooperation with Iran, hosting exhibitions and archaeological collaborations that highlight the deep historical connection between the Hellenic and Iranian worlds.

On December 12, 2025, the Iranian Minister of Culture traveled to Athens and meet with senior Greek cultural officials. Both sides announced the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of tourism, cultural heritage, and handicrafts. The Greek government officially declared its readiness to cooperate with Iran, and several agreements were reached on holding exhibitions as well as organizing visits by influencers from both countries, aimed at promoting each other’s tourist attractions.