IR in “IR Iran” usually means Islamic Republic , so the full formal name is “Islamic Republic of Iran.” The country is also historically called Iran , while Persia is the older exonym many English speakers used for the region and empire.

Why the label appears

In many sports and international systems, country names are shown in shortened, standardized formats, which is why you may see “IR Iran” instead of just “Iran.” The “IR” part points to the state’s official name, not a separate place.

Iran vs Persia

  • Iran is the country’s native and official modern name.
  • Persia is the historical name used widely in the West for centuries.
  • The international shift to “Iran” was formalized in 1935 under Reza Shah, though both names have continued in different contexts.

In plain English

So the short version is: “IR Iran” = Islamic Republic of Iran. The “IR” is there because some systems display the country’s official political name, while “Iran” is the familiar geographic and national name.

TL;DR: It’s called IR Iran because IR stands for Islamic Republic.