diff --git a/source/utf8/checked.h b/source/utf8/checked.h
index 4647016..bedd85d 100644
--- a/source/utf8/checked.h
+++ b/source/utf8/checked.h
@@ -250,11 +250,12 @@ namespace utf8
 
     // The iterator class
     template <typename octet_iterator>
-    class iterator { 
+    class iterator : public std::iterator <std::bidirectional_iterator_tag, uint32_t> { 
       octet_iterator it;
       octet_iterator range_start;
       octet_iterator range_end;
       public:
+      iterator () {};
       explicit iterator (const octet_iterator& octet_it, 
                          const octet_iterator& range_start,
                          const octet_iterator& range_end) :
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ namespace utf8
             throw std::out_of_range("Invalid utf-8 iterator position");
       }
       // the default "big three" are OK
+      octet_iterator base () const { return it; }
       uint32_t operator * () const
       {
           octet_iterator temp = it;
diff --git a/source/utf8/unchecked.h b/source/utf8/unchecked.h
index ac019d9..900f762 100644
--- a/source/utf8/unchecked.h
+++ b/source/utf8/unchecked.h
@@ -167,6 +167,48 @@ namespace utf8
             return result;
         }
 
+        // The iterator class
+        template <typename octet_iterator>
+          class iterator : public std::iterator <std::bidirectional_iterator_tag, uint32_t> { 
+            octet_iterator it;
+            public:
+            iterator () {};
+            explicit iterator (const octet_iterator& octet_it): it(octet_it) {}
+            // the default "big three" are OK
+            octet_iterator base () const { return it; }
+            uint32_t operator * () const
+            {
+              octet_iterator temp = it;
+              return next(temp);
+            }
+            bool operator == (const iterator& rhs) const 
+            { 
+              return (it == rhs.it);
+            }
+            iterator& operator ++ () 
+            {
+              next(it);
+              return *this;
+            }
+            iterator operator ++ (int)
+            {
+              iterator temp = *this;
+              next(it);
+              return temp;
+            }  
+            iterator& operator -- ()
+            {
+              prior(it);
+              return *this;
+            }
+            iterator operator -- (int)
+            {
+              iterator temp = *this;
+              prior(it);
+              return temp;
+            }
+          }; // class iterator
+
     } // namespace utf8::unchecked
 } // namespace utf8 
 
diff --git a/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp b/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp
index 880aca3..3fd18eb 100644
--- a/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp
+++ b/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp
@@ -257,6 +257,22 @@ int main()
     // try it with the return value;
     utf16_end = utf8to16 (utf8_with_surrogates, utf8_with_surrogates + 9, &utf16result[0]);
     assert (utf16_end == &utf16result[0] + 4);
+    
+    // iterator
+    utf8::unchecked::iterator<char*> un_it(threechars);
+    utf8::unchecked::iterator<char*> un_it2 = un_it;
+    assert (un_it2 == un_it);
+    assert (*un_it == 0x10346);
+    assert (*(++un_it) == 0x65e5);
+    assert ((*un_it++) == 0x65e5);
+    assert (*un_it == 0x0448);
+    utf8::unchecked::iterator<char*> un_endit (threechars + 9);  
+    assert (++un_it == un_endit);
+    assert (*(--un_it) == 0x0448);
+    assert ((*un_it--) == 0x0448);
+    assert (*un_it == 0x65e5);
+    assert (--un_it == utf8::unchecked::iterator<char*>(threechars));
+    assert (*un_it == 0x10346);
 }