Can't delete docker container's default iptables rule

It's usually easier to delete by number, unless there is a chance that the number could change between the time you listed the rules and the time you delete the rule.

Here's how to delete by line number:

# iptables -L --line-numbers(snip)Chain DOCKER (2 references)num  target     prot opt source               destination         1    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             172.17.0.2           tcp dpt:http(snip)# iptables -D DOCKER 1

Alternatively, you can get the full specification by doing iptables -S. Example:

# iptables -S(snip)-A DOCKER -d 172.17.0.2/32 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT(snip)

Turn the -A into a -D and use this as the args to iptables to delete the rule:

# iptables -D DOCKER -d 172.17.0.2/32 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT

NOTE: This answer perplexingly still gets upvotes from time to time. I have no idea what everyone is trying to actually accomplish, I just blindly answered an iptables-related question. If you want to start a Docker container that is not accessible to the outside world, that's an entirely different topic, and this is not an appropriate answer in your case. (Maybe start by not exposing/publishing the port.)

This is a bit old but in case someone else is looking for how to remove docker completely from your iptables rules here's how I did it, also keep in mind this is on debian so your files/paths may differ.

1. edit your /etc/iptables.up.rules file, back up file then remove everything with docker in it - there may also be a few additional lines with the local docker subnet (mine was 172.17.x and 172.19.x) - remove them all
2. flush iptables: iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT && iptables -P OUTPUT ACCEPT && iptables -P FORWARD ACCEPT && iptables -F
3. reload iptables rules: iptables-restore < /etc/iptables.up.rules
4. verify/check your rules: iptables -L -n (should no longer have any docker chains or rules)

If you have deleted the docker package than just restart iptables service and it will deleted default docker iptables-

systemctl restart iptables.service