Area Code 87 – Kurdistan

Overview of +98 87

The country calling code +98 is assigned to Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran) under the ITU-T E.164 international numbering plan. The national destination code (NDC) 87 is a geographic area code allocated to the Kurdistan Province (also known as Iranian Kurdistan), located in the western part of the country. This code is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services within the province, serving both residential and business subscribers.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

Kurdistan Province, with its capital Sanandaj, is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. The +98 87 area code covers all landline telephone exchanges within the province, including major cities and towns such as:

• Sanandaj
• Saqqez
• Marivan
• Baneh
• Kamyaran
• Divandarreh
• Bijar
• Qorveh

As a geographic code, the prefix is tied to the physical location of the fixed-line subscriber. The province shares borders with Iraq to the west, and the region is predominantly Kurdish-speaking, which is reflected in local administrative and business communications.

Dialing Formats

To call a fixed-line number in Kurdistan Province, the dialing format depends on the caller's origin:

• Domestic calls within Iran (from another province or mobile): Dial 0 87 XXXX XXXX (the trunk prefix 0 is used for national calls, followed by the area code 87 and the 8-digit subscriber number).
• International calls from outside Iran: Dial +98 87 XXXX XXXX (omit the leading 0 of the area code).
• Local calls within the same area code: In most cases, you can dial the 8-digit subscriber number directly without the area code, though this may vary depending on the specific local exchange and operator policies.

For example, a fixed-line number in Sanandaj might be formatted as +98 87 3322 4455 when dialed internationally, and 087 3322 4455 domestically.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T and Iranian Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) updates, there is no overlay code for the 87 area code. The province uses a closed numbering plan with 8-digit subscriber numbers after the area code. However, the rapid growth of telecommunications services has led to increased demand for fixed-line numbers, and the CRA periodically reviews numbering resources to ensure sufficient capacity.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers within Kurdistan: If you are calling from a fixed line within the same area code, you may omit the area code and dial only the 8-digit number. However, for clarity and to avoid misdialing, it is recommended to include the area code, especially when calling from mobile phones.
• Domestic callers from other provinces: Always dial the trunk prefix 0 followed by 87 and the subscriber number.
• International callers: Dial your country's international access code (e.g., 00 from most European countries, 011 from the US/Canada), then Iran's country code 98, then the area code 87 (without the leading 0), followed by the subscriber number.

For example, a caller from the United States would dial 011 98 87 3322 4455 to reach a fixed line in Sanandaj.

Service and Usage

The +98 87 code is exclusively used for fixed-line services, including analog and digital PSTN lines, ISDN, and increasingly VoIP-based fixed services that are registered to a physical address within the province. Mobile numbers in Iran have their own distinct prefixes (e.g., 0911, 0912, etc.) and are not associated with geographic area codes. Emergency services, such as police (110) and fire (125), are reached via short codes and are not part of the geographic numbering plan.