ABSTRACTThe development of appropriate luminophores for detecting nitroaromatic explosives is a crucial issue for our safety and security. In the past decade, astounding efforts have been made towards the development of phosphorescent iridium probes based on diverse sensing mechanisms for explosive detection. Phosphorescent iridium materials possess unique properties such as long-lived phosphorescence, high quantum efficiency, and modular syntheses that render them as suitable alternatives to organic dyes. According to the literature, many of the iridium molecular probes used to detect nitroaromatics are ”turn-off” luminescence sensors. Thus, the review describes the current state-of-the-art, its accomplishments, unique challenges, and future directions.