Iranocichla persa differs from the congener I. hormuzensisI by its nuptial males having orange breast and lower part of the head (vs. black), grey with an orange hue background color of the flank (vs. black), each scale furnished with an iridescent patch and these patches take up more space (vs. less) than the space between them, a poorly developed or invisible (vs. distinctive) 'Tilapia-mark' in the dorsal fin, and very clear white spots forming almost wavy bars or stripes on the caudal fin (vs. absence of or with very few white spots) (Ref. 120698).