Iran Bank Mellat Lapel Pin

Bank Mellat (Persian: بانک ملت, Bānk-e Mellat, lit. People's Bank) is one of the most active Iranian banks. Its name means "Bank of the Nation". The bank was established in 1980, with a paid capital of 33.5 billion Rials as a merger of ten pre-1979 revolution private banks, comprising Tehran, Dariush, Pars, Etebarat Taavoni & Tozie, Iran & Arab, Bein-al-melalie-Iran, Omran, Bimeh Iran, Tejarat Khareji Iran and Farhangian.
 
 The bank's capital amounted[when?] to Rls 13,100 billion and it was one of the largest commercial banks in Iran, ranking among the top 1000 banks of the world.[citation needed]
 
 In 2007 the Iranian government started the process of privatising the bank as part of a policy of selling 80% of state-owned stakes in banking, media, transportation and mining companies.
 
 The Bank Mellat London branch was merged with the Bank Tejarat branch to form Persia International Bank PLC.