Forex Sessions in Iran Time: The Best Hours to Trade

The Forex market is active 24 hours a day, but this does not mean you should be in front of your charts 24/7. Money is not spread evenly throughout the day; instead, like the tides, it reaches its peak at specific hours and recedes at others.

Many Iranian traders struggle with the precise calculation of Forex market opening hours due to the fact that Iran’s official time no longer changes (Daylight Saving Time), while Europe and the US still observe seasonal time shifts. In this article, in addition to providing an accurate table of Forex sessions in Iran time, we examine the best hours to trade and how they impact your Forex income. To find the answer to the common question, “How much is Forex income?”, please refer to the corresponding article.

What is a Trading Session?

A Trading Session is a specific period during which major banks and financial institutions in a geographic region (such as London or New York) begin their activities and inject the highest volume of liquidity into the market.

Although Forex does not close, it is effectively divided into four main sections: the Sydney session (Australia), the Tokyo session (Asia), the London session (Europe), and the New York session (America).

Table of Forex Sessions in Iran Time

Vital Note for Iranian Traders: Since Iran’s official time no longer changes, but Western countries still observe Summer and Winter time (Daylight Saving Time), the opening and closing times of sessions for us shift by one hour throughout the year.

In the table below, we have separated Forex market working hours for both halves of the year:

Note: The most significant change for us is the New York session in Iran time, which starts one hour later (05:30 PM) during the winter.

Overview of the 4 Main Market Sessions

To have a successful strategy, you must understand what happens in each trading session:

1. Sydney Session (Start of the Business Day)

• Feature: This session marks the beginning of the global trading day (the market starts with Australia). Volatility and trading volume are typically at their lowest here, and the market is calm.

• Suitable for: Traders looking for low-risk, range-bound markets.

• Popular Pairs: Australian Dollar (AUD/USD) and New Zealand Dollar (NZD/USD).

2. Tokyo Session (The Heart of Asia)

• Feature: As the Tokyo market opens, Asian trading volume enters the fray. Many initial market moves take shape here, though volume is not yet as high as in Europe.

• Suitable for: Nighttime scalpers and traders focusing on Asian currency pairs.

• Popular Pairs: Pairs involving the Japanese Yen (e.g., USD/JPY and GBP/JPY).

3. London Session (The King of Liquidity)

• Feature: This is the heartbeat of Forex. Approximately 30% to 40% of all global trades occur during this session. Major trends are usually established during the London session.

• Suitable for: Day traders, trend followers, and those seeking reasonable volatility.

• Warning: During the first few minutes of the London Forex market opening, you may encounter many “Fakey” or deceptive moves.

4. New York Session (The Storm of Excitement)

• Feature: This coincides with the start of Wall Street and the release of major US economic news (such as Federal Reserve interest rate decisions). Volatility in this session is extremely intense, fast, and sometimes dangerous.

• Suitable for: Professional traders and experienced speculators.

• Important Note: About 85% of global trades involve the US Dollar; therefore, when New York opens, everything moves.

What is the Best Trading Session? (The Golden Overlap)

If you are looking for the best trading session to achieve quick profits, you should trade when the London and New York sessions are open simultaneously (Overlap). During this period—which lasts about 4 hours—the highest volume of money in the world is exchanged.

• Golden Time in Iran (Summer): 04:30 PM to 07:30 PM

• Golden Time in Iran (Winter): 05:30 PM to 08:30 PM

During these hours, Spreads reach their minimum, and prices move with strong momentum.

Gold Market Opening Hours in Forex

Gold trading (XAU/USD) differs slightly from currency pairs. Gold usually becomes active one hour after the official global market opens on Monday and has a one-hour break every day. To learn more about the market, refer to the “What is Forex” article.

• Gold Opening Hours: It starts simultaneously with the Sydney session, but its main volume occurs during the New York session.

• Daily Break: Most brokers make the Gold symbol untradable between 12:30 AM and 01:30 AM (Iran time).

• Advisor’s Recommendation: Try to trade Gold only during the London and New York overlap. Gold liquidity is very low during the Asian session, and its spread is high.

Smart Tools for Detecting Forex Sessions (Stop Calculating!)

Memorizing these hours and constantly calculating summer and winter shifts can be confusing. A small mistake in timing could cause you to enter a trade right before major news, leading to losses.

To simplify this, we suggest using the Online Forex Session Tool on the Iran Rebate website. This tool automatically detects the current time in Iran and shows which sessions are open and how much time remains until the next one opens.

Summary of Forex Sessions:

Knowing the Forex market opening hours is not just for general knowledge; it is a core part of your risk management strategy.

• If you are a beginner, avoid trading during major news in the New York session.

• If you are a scalper, focus on the London and New York overlap.

• Use online tools like those on Iran Rebate to stay in sync with the market’s pulse.

Remember: “A trader who does not know the time is like a farmer who sows seeds in winter.”