The Official Gazette of Iran, officially known as the Official Gazette of the Islamic Republic of Iran,[a] is the official legal journal of the government of Iran responsible for the publication of legislation, executive regulations, judicial decisions, and other official state notices. Published under the authority of the judiciary of Iran and operates as a joint-stock company, it serves as the formal publication through which official instruments of Iran are published and entered into the public record.
| Type | Government gazette |
|---|---|
| Format | Print and digital publication |
| Owner | Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Publisher | Judiciary of Iran |
| Founded | 18 April 1911 |
| Language | Persian |
| Headquarters | Tehran, Iran |
| Website | www |
Established in 1911 during Iran's constitutional era, it has continued publication under successive governments and adopted its present title following the 1979 Iranian Revolution. In addition to legal publications, it also publishes corporate registrations and commercial filings required under Iranian law.
History
editOrigins
edit
The publication traces its origins to Iran's earlier tradition of state-sponsored official journalism established during the Qajar period.[2] The country's first sustained official newspaper, Waqāyeʿ-e Ettefāqiya, was founded in 1851 under the direction of the then prime minister Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir during the reign of Mohammad Shah Qajar's successor, Naser al-Din Shah. It served as Iran's principal official government publication for more than a decade.[3]
In 1860, the publication was renamed Ruznāmeh-ye Dawlat-e ʿAliyya-ye Iran (Official Journal of Iran during the Qajar era), following administrative changes within the government and a transfer of oversight from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ministry of Sciences. It subsequently evolved through successive publications, including Iran and later Iran-e Solṭāni, which formed the institutional foundation for the establishment of the modern official gazette in the early twentieth century.[2] The establishment of the gazette followed the suspension of its predecessor, Irān, after the 1908 coup d'état carried out by Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar during the Persian Constitutional Revolution. Following the restoration of constitutional rule, the newly reconvened parliament enacted legislation authorizing the creation of a new official state publication. The Ministry of Interior subsequently appointed journalist Moayed-ol Mamalek Fekri Ershad as its first managing director, and the inaugural issue was published on 18 April 1911.[2]
From its inception, the gazette served as the principal medium for publishing official communications from the Ministry of the Royal Court, the then office of the prime minister, parliamentary proceedings, enacted legislation, government directives, and official appointments. It also functioned in part as a supplementary publication to the parliamentary newspaper by reproducing legislative proceedings alongside enacted laws. During its early years, the publication was printed at the state printing house (maṭbaʿa-ye dawlati) before production was later transferred to other printing establishments.[2]
Suspension and resumption
editFollowing the death of Fekri Ershad in 1918, management of the publication was transferred to his eldest son, Shahrokh Fekri, who continued overseeing its publication for several months. Later that year, prime minister Vosugh od-Dowleh ordered the suspension of the gazette, officially citing financial crisis, although contemporary accounts suggested the decision also benefited the semi-official newspaper Iran.[2]
The suspension continued for more than four years, with publication resuming on 25 January 1923 during the final months of the premiership of Ahmad Qavam. Editorial management was subsequently assigned to Fakhr al-Din Vafa, a decision that was contested by Shahrokh Fekri, who maintained that he remained the legitimate successor to the publication's leadership.[2]
Pahlavi era and Islamic Republic
editDuring the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty, the publication continued under the title Ruznāmeh-ye Rasmi-ye Keshvar-e Shāhanshāhi-ye Iran (Official Gazette of the Imperial State of Iran) and remained the official government publication for the dissemination of legal and administrative notices.[2]
Following the Iranian Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the publication adopted its present title and came under the administration of the Ministry of Justice. A weekly supplementary edition was later introduced alongside the regular publication, although its publication has historically remained irregular.[2]
Publication
editFormat
editThe gazette made its debut in a magazine-style format. Its pages were arranged in double columns and measured 28x30 centimetres, with the number of pages varying from issue to issue and an average of thirty-two pages per issue. This format was not permanent: the page dimensions were enlarged in the gazette's second phase to approximately 23x36 centimetres, a size that remained broadly consistent thereafter.[2]
Distribution
editFor its first five years, the gazette was printed at the state printing house before production was later transferred to several other printing establishments. Distribution operated through a subscription-based system, with the annual subscription fee initially set at 40 krans for subscribers in Tehran, though pricing was revised periodically over time.[2] From its establishment, the gazette was issued three times weekly and continued under this publication schedule until adopting a daily format in 1929.[2]
In addition to its printed edition, the publication has maintained an online presence through its official website.[4] However, a 2015 report by the Library of Congress noted that the digital version had not been formally designated as the official legal edition, with printed copies continuing to be issued separately.[1]
Structure
editThe gazette operates as a joint-stock company under the supervision of the judiciary. Under its statutory framework, the organization is governed by a general assembly, board of directors, and managing director. In addition to publishing the Official Gazette, it provides printing and publication services for state institutions and oversees the distribution of printed and electronic materials.[5]
Constitutional status
editThe gazette occupies an important role within Iran's legal system. Under Article 3 of the Civil Code, legislation is entitled to be published in the Official Gazette before taking effect.[5] Pursuant to Article 2, laws generally become enforceable fifteen days after publication, unless a different effective date is specified by law. International treaties concluded by Iran that carry the force of law are likewise required to be published in the gazette under Article 9 of the Civil Code.[5]
Under Article 69 of the constitution, records of open parliamentary proceedings are entitled to be made publicly available through both radio broadcasting and the Official Gazette, while Article 160 places the publication under the supervision of the judiciary.[5][5]
Archives and holdings
editA complete archival collection of the publication is preserved at the Majlis Library, Museum and Document Center in Tehran. Partial collections are held by several major libraries and research institutions across Iran, as well as by a number of international academic institutions, including Cambridge University Library, Hamburg University Library, and the Library of the School of Oriental Languages in Paris.[2]
The preservation of these collections has made historical editions of the gazette an important resource for research on Iranian legal history, government administration, and the development of official state publications in Iran.[2]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "Gazette Collection - Law Library of Congress – 8" (PDF). tile.loc.gov. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "RUZ-NĀMA-YE RASMI-E DAWLAT-E IRĀN". Encyclopaedia Iranica. 2026-04-30. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- ↑ Nabavi, Negin (2024-10-21). "JOURNALISM i. Qajar Period". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- ↑ روزبهی, محدثه (2024-11-19). "نشانی جدید سایت روزنامه رسمی". پایگاه خبری اختبار (in Persian). Retrieved 2026-06-18.
- 1 2 3 4 5 خبرگزاری میزان (2024-04-03). "روزنامه رسمی کشور/ وظایف و اختیارات" (in Persian). خبرگزاری میزان. Retrieved 2026-06-18.