Empresas y finanzas
China says Iran joins AIIB as founder member
The decision was made by existing members, including China, Britain, France, India and Italy, it added.
The United Arab Emirates has also been accepted, Xinhua said.
The AIIB is seen as a potential rival to established lenders the World Bank and Asian Investment Bank, which are dominated by the United States and Japan.
China and Iran have close diplomatic, economic, trade and energy ties.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Christopher Cushing)