Screening for bacteriocin production by strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from local dairy products in Iran resulted in the detection of 10 bacteriocin‐producing strains. Among 105 isolated, 10 bacteriocin producers were phenotypically and genotypically identified as Enterococcus spp. The antimicrobial compounds produced by these novel strains were inactivated by trypsin, proteinase k. These bacteriocins also were active in a wide range of pH and temperature values, and inhibited not only the closely related LAB, but also Listeria monocytogenes.