This study aimed to synthesise a complex of agar oligosaccharides (AOS) with ferric iron and to evaluate its physicochemical and structural characteristics. Based on single factor, Plackett-Burman and response surface optimal experiments of three factors at three levels, the optimised chelate conditions of the AOSiron (III) complex were mass ratio of AOS to iron ions of 4.5:1 g:g, reaction temperature of 74°C and reaction time of 60 min. Under these conditions, the iron content and total sugar content were 14.03 AE 0.42% and 66.07 AE 0.96%, respectively. The physicochemical analysis showed that AOS-iron (III) was soluble and steady at physiological pH, and it was easily reduced to iron (II). The structural characteristics of AOS and AOS-iron (III) were analysed by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Nuclear magnetic resonance, and results showed that the iron (III) ions were chelated to AOS by -OH groups and -COOH groups and widely dispersed on the AOS backbone. Therefore, AOS-iron (III) could be a candidate for iron supplementation to treat iron deficiency anaemia.