The invention discloses a method for preparing radioactive <124>I ions. The preparation method comprises the following steps: a, taking aluminium oxide powder and tellurium dioxide powder in a mass ratio of 1:18-22, uniformly mixing the powder, and pressing the obtained mixture into a tellurium target with a thickness of 50-60 mg/cm<2>; b, placing the prepared tellurium target in a circular accelerator, and irradiating the tellurium target 2-3 h by Te (p, n) <124>I, wherein the incident p particle beam intensity is 18-20 mu A, the energy is 18.5-20 MeV, and the angle of incidence is 6-10 DEG; meanwhile, cooling the tellurium target by using water in the process of irradiating, and after the irradiating is completed, placing the tellurium target to cool 4-6 h; c, placing the tellurium target in a quartz distillation tube of a destructive distillation device to distill, meanwhile, controlling the temperature to 750 DEG C so as to heat the tellurium target, so that radioactive <124>I ions are escaped, and collecting the radioactive <124>I ions. The problems that radionuclide <124>I prepared in the prior art is low in yield and low in recovery rate are solved.