What it means
شبا (shabâ) is the Iranian IBAN (International Bank Account Number), a 26-character code that uniquely identifies a specific bank account within the Iranian banking system. The word is an acronym of شماره بانکی ایران (shomâre-ye bânki-ye Irân), meaning Iranian bank number. The component بانک (bânk) inside the acronym is a loanword from European languages (English/French), which makes the full term a mixed-origin coinage. Iranian banks display the شبا on account statements and mobile apps. It always starts with IR followed by 24 digits. The everyday shorter alternative is شماره حساب (shomâre hesâb), but only شبا works for formal business transactions and transfers from abroad.
How to use it
- شبام رو از اپلیکیشن بانکم گرفتم. (Shabâm ro az aplikeyshan-e bânkam gereftam.) “I got my IBAN from my banking app.”
- برای فاکتور رسمی، شبا لازمه. (Barâye fâktor-e rasmi, shabâ lâzeme.) “For a formal invoice, the IBAN is required.”
- شبات رو کامل بفرست، شماره حساب کافی نیست. (Shabât ro kâmel befrest, shomâre hesâb kâfi nist.) “Send your full IBAN, the account number alone is not enough.”
- IR داره اول شبا؟ (IR dâre avval-e shabâ?) “Does the IBAN start with IR?”
Cultural note
شبا was introduced by Iran’s Central Bank to standardize interbank transfers and align with the global IBAN standard. Because international banking sanctions have limited Iran’s connectivity to SWIFT, the شبا is used primarily for domestic formal transfers, payroll, and government payments rather than cross-border wires. Freelancers and small businesses often include their شبا on invoices alongside their شماره حساب, since some clients or platforms require one and some require the other.