An Iranian commercial bank; has provided financial support to entities associated with the Iranian military and Iran's nuclear and missile programs, according to the European Union; identified by the United States as an Iranian financial institution or a Government of Iran entity.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, facilitated the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran's nuclear program between 2003 and 2007 and has provided banking services to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and Novin Energy Company; according to the European Union, has facilitated hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions for Iranian nuclear, missile, and defense entities and has provided banking services to entities sanctioned by the European Union and the United Nations or to entities owned by or acting on behalf of sanctioned entities.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, worked with Europaisch-Iranische Handelsbank AG (EIH) and the Bank of Industry and Mine (BIM) in 2010 to transfer payments to customers in Europe in violation of European Union sanctions; according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, worked with EIH between 2007 and 2009 to facilitate transactions worth approximately $600,000 between Iran Electronics Industries (IEI), an IEI subsidiary, and an arms exporter, and collaborated with EIH in 2007 to facilitate almost $1 million in business involving an Iranian proliferator of weapons of mass destruction.

Has received financial services from Bank Tejarat and has provided hundreds of millions of dollars a year to Mehr Eqtesad Bank in the form of dividends, interest-free loans, and lines of credit, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

In 2016, concluded an agreement to provide financial services to the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC); in 2010, led a consortium that signed a $10 billion agreement with National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to develop the Kish gas field.

Offers accounts that can hold foreign currency; has collaborated with Al Fida International General Trading and Al Hilal Exchange in the United Arab Emirates to obtain foreign currency, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Subsidiaries and other subordinate entities include:

• Bank Mellat Yerevan (Armenia)
• First East Export Bank PLC (Malaysia)
• MA Insurance Co. (Iran)
• Mellat Exchange Co. (Iran)
• Mellat Investment Bank (MIB) (Iran)
• Persia International Bank PLC (United Kingdom)

Operates branch offices in South Korea and Turkey; affiliated with Europaisch-Iranische Handelsbank AG (EIH) in Germany; has been affiliated with Tarh and Andisheh of Behsaz Mellat Company PJS in Iran.

As of May 2022, held a total capital of 207 quadrillion rials.

Company officials include Reza Dolatabadi (managing director) and Alireza Lagzaee (deputy managing director).

Established in 1980 after the merger of 10 private banks: Bank Omran, Bank Farhangian, Bank Tehran, Bank Pars, Bank Bimeh Iran, Iran International Bank, Bank Iran & Arab, Bank Dariush, Bank Foreign Commerce, and Bank Etebarat Taavoni & Tozii.

Sanctions

Listed by the European Union on July 26, 2010, as an entity linked to Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or Iran's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems; removed from the E.U. list in January 2016 as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Added on October 16, 2018, to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list maintained by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), blocking its assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism; also subject to the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations; foreign parties facilitating transactions for the entity or otherwise assisting the entity are subject to U.S. sanctions.

Previously added to the SDN List on October 25, 2007, pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems; removed from the SDN list in January 2016 as part of the JCPOA, but identified as a part of the Government of Iran, prohibiting transactions with U.S. parties.

Listed by the British government in 2015 as an entity of potential concern for WMD-related procurement, but removed in 2017 after the U.K. withdrew its Iran list.