The present invention relates to an optical receiver, in which the transmittance of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer can be locked at a normal operation point in a simple structure and control. A transmittance detecting circuit and a minute modulation signal detecting circuit are provided in parallel after a balanced optical receiver, and a switch is selectively connectable either a minute modulation signal detecting circuit and a transmittance detecting circuit. In the initial stage of frequency pull-in, the switch is set to connect the transmittance detecting circuit to the synchronous detection circuit. If the transmittance detecting circuit detects that the transmittance of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer at the carrier frequency becomes a desired transmittance, the connection of the switch is switched from the transmittance detecting circuit to the minute modulation signal detecting circuit.