Iran–Italy relations

Iran–Italy relations (Italian: Relazioni Iran–Italia, Persian: روابط ایران و ایتالیا) are the diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Italian Republic. Diplomatic ties were formally established between Qajar Iran and the Kingdom of Italy on 18 February 1886. Their relations are one of the oldest documented relationships in world history, stretching back over two thousand years with contacts between the Parthian Empire and the Roman Republic. The two powers often clashed militarily across Armenia and Mesopotamia, but they also traded extensively, influencing each other’s art, luxury goods, and political culture. Roman luxury goods such as glassware and fine metals reached Iran, while Persian silk, textiles, and horses were prized in Rome.

Under the Sassanid and later the Byzantine Empires, this mixture of conflict and exchange continued. The relationship grew even more structured, with both sides recognizing each other as major world powers and maintaining formal diplomatic missions. After the fall of Rome, Italian city-states such as Venice, Genoa, and Florence established commercial ties with Iran. Italian merchants traveled across Iran on the Silk Road, and Persian diplomatic envoys visited Italy. The Renaissance brought a renewed European fascination with Persian culture, literature, and science, often transmitted through Italian scholars who had contact with the East.

By the Safavid period, formal diplomatic relations became more regular. Italy—divided into various states at the time—maintained contacts with the Persian court, particularly through Venice and the Papal States, both of which saw Iran as a counterweight to the Ottoman Empire. Cultural exchange deepened as well, with Persian art influencing Italian collectors and craftsmen.

In the modern era, Italy is one of Iran’s closest European partners in archaeology and cultural studies. Italy-Iran cooperation in the field of archeology dates back to 1959 and has continued since then. Italian archaeologists were among the first Western scholars studying ancient Iranian sites, and even during periods of sanctions or political strain, Italy often acted as a diplomatic bridge between Iran and the West. This long continuity made Iran–Italy relations some of the deepest between Iran and any European country.