OFAC sanctions trigger revocation of SSL certificates for Iranian banks

Iranian financial institutions have begun migrating their online banking services to new domain names and updating associated SSL certificates, a move reported by Digiato. The shift affects several major banks, including Bank Melli, Bank Keshavarzi, and Bank Tejarat, which have replaced former “.ir” addresses with alternative top‑level domains such as “.com” and “.net”. The changes were implemented over the past month and are reflected in the latest TLS certificates issued by recognized Certificate Authorities, indicating compliance with standard encryption protocols despite the geopolitical constraints.

The domain transition is attributed to ongoing international sanctions that have limited the ability of Iranian banks to obtain or renew SSL certificates tied to Iranian country‑code domains. By adopting globally recognized domains, the banks aim to preserve secure online access for domestic and overseas customers while mitigating the risk of service interruptions. Regulators and the Central Bank of Iran have affirmed that the rebranding does not alter the underlying banking operations, and users are advised to verify the updated URLs and certificate details before logging in.