Iran is estimated to have about 208–209 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves , which makes it roughly the third-largest holder of oil reserves in the world as of 2024–2025.

Quick Scoop: How much oil does Iran have?

  • Proven crude oil reserves: around 208–209 billion barrels.
  • Share of global oil reserves: about 12% of the world’s total.
  • Share of Middle East reserves: close to a quarter of all Middle Eastern oil reserves.
  • Global ranking: 3rd-largest after Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
  • Daily crude production (recent years): roughly 3.2–3.5 million barrels per day (bpd).

These figures are based on late‑2024 assessments and remain the reference numbers in early 2026, since reserve estimates change slowly unless there is a major new discovery or reclassification.

Context and why it matters

  • Such a large reserve base gives Iran major long‑term leverage in global energy markets, even when exports are restricted by sanctions.
  • Even with constraints, Iran still contributes a noticeable share of global supply and has the technical potential to increase production further if investment and sanctions conditions change.

In simple terms: if you imagine all the world’s proven oil as a pie, Iran controls about one slice out of every eight.