Prostitution laws in Iranایران
Iran's Islamic Penal Code treats paid sex as zina, intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other (Art. 221). The hadd punishment is 100 lashes for an offender who is not muhsan (Art. 230) and stoning for one who is (Art. 225), with death in the cases of Art. 224. Intimacy short of intercourse carries up to 99 lashes (Art. 637, Book Five). Procuring, bringing people together for zina, is a hadd offence of 75 lashes, with banishment of up to a year for a man's second offence (Arts. 242-243). Establishing or directing a place of prostitution, or facilitating or encouraging prostitution, carries one to ten years' imprisonment and temporary closure of the premises (Art. 639); displaying or advertising material that violates public morality carries three months to one year, a fine and up to 74 lashes (Art. 640).
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Selling and buying sex are offences through the general hadd offence of zina, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other (Art. 221, Islamic Penal Code 2013), punishable by 100 lashes or, for married offenders, stoning. Procuring is a separate hadd offence (qavvadi, Arts. 242-243), and running a place of prostitution or encouraging prostitution is a ta'zir crime (Art. 639, Book Five of 1996).[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Paid sex is zina, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other (Art. 221). The hadd punishment is 100 lashes if the offender is not muhsan (Art. 230) and stoning if muhsan (Art. 225), with the death penalty in the cases listed in Art. 224. Acts short of intercourse, such as kissing, carry up to 99 lashes (Art. 637).[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | There is no client-specific offence, but zina is committed by both the man and the woman, so a client faces the same hadd punishments as the seller: 100 lashes if not muhsan, stoning if muhsan (Arts. 221, 225 and 230).[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Anyone who establishes or directs a place of immorality or prostitution is sentenced to one to ten years' imprisonment, and the court may close the premises temporarily (Art. 639(A), Book Five). If the act also amounts to procuring, the hadd punishment for procuring is added.[2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring (qavvadi) means connecting two or more people for zina or sodomy; one act suffices (Art. 242). The hadd is 75 lashes; a man's second offence adds banishment for up to one year (Art. 243). If no zina follows, or for procuring minors, the penalty is 31 to 74 lashes and sixth-degree imprisonment (Arts. 242 Note 1, 244). Facilitating or encouraging prostitution: one to ten years (Art. 639(B)).[1][2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Anyone who facilitates or encourages people to immorality or prostitution faces one to ten years (Art. 639(B)). Displaying, producing or keeping for distribution writings, pictures, advertisements or anything else that violates public prudency and morality, or advertising to promote such material, carries three months to one year, a fine and up to 74 lashes (Art. 640).[2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Paid sex is zina, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman not married to each other (Art. 221). The hadd punishment is 100 lashes if the offender is not muhsan (Art. 230) and stoning if muhsan (Art. 225), with the death penalty in the cases listed in Art. 224. Acts short of intercourse, such as kissing, carry up to 99 lashes (Art. 637).[1][2]
Ihsan (being muhsan) broadly means being married to a permanent, pubescent spouse with whom one has had intercourse (Art. 226). Under Art. 225, where stoning cannot be carried out, the court may, with the approval of the Head of the Judiciary, impose death if zina was proved by witnesses, and otherwise 100 lashes.
Confidence: medium. The official Persian texts (Majlis Research Center portals) could not be opened; this uses the English translation by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. Enforcement practice was not examined.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
There is no client-specific offence, but zina is committed by both the man and the woman, so a client faces the same hadd punishments as the seller: 100 lashes if not muhsan, stoning if muhsan (Arts. 221, 225 and 230).[1]
Confidence: medium. Based on an unofficial English translation; the official Persian text could not be opened.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Anyone who establishes or directs a place of immorality or prostitution is sentenced to one to ten years' imprisonment, and the court may close the premises temporarily (Art. 639(A), Book Five). If the act also amounts to procuring, the hadd punishment for procuring is added.[2]
Confidence: medium. The Law on Reduction of Ta'zir Imprisonment Sentences (2020) changed sentencing rules for many ta'zir offences; its effect on Art. 639 was not verified.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring (qavvadi) means connecting two or more people for zina or sodomy; one act suffices (Art. 242). The hadd is 75 lashes; a man's second offence adds banishment for up to one year (Art. 243). If no zina follows, or for procuring minors, the penalty is 31 to 74 lashes and sixth-degree imprisonment (Arts. 242 Note 1, 244). Facilitating or encouraging prostitution: one to ten years (Art. 639(B)).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Based on an unofficial English translation; the official Persian text could not be opened.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Anyone who facilitates or encourages people to immorality or prostitution faces one to ten years (Art. 639(B)). Displaying, producing or keeping for distribution writings, pictures, advertisements or anything else that violates public prudency and morality, or advertising to promote such material, carries three months to one year, a fine and up to 74 lashes (Art. 640).[2]
Confidence: medium. No provision specifically on advertising sexual services was found; the Computer Crimes Law (2009) was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| English Translation of Books I & II of the New Islamic Penal Code Islamic Penal Code (2013), Books I and II Arts. 221-232 · Arts. 242-244 | Book II defines zina and its hadd punishments (Arts. 221 to 232) and the hadd offence of procuring (Arts. 242 to 244).[1] | 2013 |
| Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Book Five Islamic Penal Code, Book Five: Ta'zirat and Deterrent Punishments (1996) Art. 637 · Art. 639 · Art. 640 | Art. 639 punishes running a place of prostitution and facilitating or encouraging prostitution; Art. 637 covers intimacy short of zina; Art. 640 covers material violating public morality.[2] | 1996 |
Timeline
- 1996Book Five of the Islamic Penal Code (Ta'zirat) is adopted, including Art. 639 on places of prostitution and encouraging prostitution.[2]
- 2013A new Islamic Penal Code is adopted, restating zina (Arts. 221 to 232) and procuring (Arts. 242 to 244); Book Five (Ta'zirat) of 1996 remains in force alongside it.[1]
Sources
- English Translation of Books I & II of the New Islamic Penal Code. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (unofficial translation), 2014. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Book Five. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (unofficial translation). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026