The title compound, [1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane](eta5-cyclopentadienyl)(4-nitrobenzonitrile)iron(II) iodide, [Fe(eta5-C5H5)(C7H4N2O2)(C26H4P2)]I, crystallizes in the non-centrosymmetric space group Cc, which is a promising result for obtaining quadratic non-linear optical properties. However, the packing shows that the iodide counter-ion promotes the cancellation of almost all the dipoles, resulting in a supramolecular motif of cationic chains aligned in opposite directions making an angle of 35.2 degrees. The use of PF6- as counter-ion induces the crystallization of the complex in a centrosymmetric space group. These results show that the introduction of different counter-ions, of different size and geometry, allows specific and directional intermolecular interactions that can determine the formation of a particular type of crystal packing.