Leaves of maize infected with the Iranian maize mosaic rhabdovirus (IMMRV) were homogenized in 0.1 M citrate‐0.04 M Na2SO3 buffer, pH 5.4, containing 10 % sucrose and the extract was subjected to low speed and high speed centrifugation followed by resuspension in 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, containing 10 % sucrose. Partially purified preparation was obtained by density‐gradient centrifugation, removal of the virus zones and their concentration by high speed centrifugation. Two virus specific bands were observed in density‐gradient columns. An antiserum with a titer of 128 was prepared by injecting partially purified virus into rabbits. In agar‐gel‐diffusion tests, the antiserum produced one or two precipitin lines against diseased maize extract but none against healthy maize extract. IMMRV was not related to barley yellow striate mosaic (BYSMV), cereal chlorotic mottle (CCMV), Cynodon chlorotic streak (CCSV), Festuca leaf streak, and maize mosaic (MMV) viruses as well as to two unidentified rhabdoviruses occurring in wheat and Bermuda grass in the vicinity of Shiraz, when these viruses were tested against IMMRV antiserum in agar‐gel‐diffusion and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Likewise, IMMRV did not react with antisera to BYSMV, CCMV, CCSV and MMV in agar‐gel‐diffusion tests. IMMRV appears to be different from most reported rhabdoviruses of cereals.