In Iran, as in other ancient civilizations, records and documents were archived and highly valued from the earliest times. During the Achaemenid period (330 to 550 BC), the foundation of the empire’s administrative structure was the royal archive, and the head of the administrative organization was the director of this archive. The practice of preserving records continued during the Parthian and Sasanian periods. After the advent of Islam in Iran, records were stored in a place known as the “Khazana” (Treasury) under the guidance of Iranian ministers and secretaries. During the Safavid era, government records were managed and safeguarded in the Diwan-I A’la’s Chancery located in Chehel Sutun Palace.
Although the management of government and royal archives in Iran has a long history, the idea of creating a modern archive emerged during the Qajar era. In the early Qajar period, archives were managed under the Biotat Department of the royal court. However, during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah, the expansion of administrative organizations and the accumulation of large volumes of records and non-current highlighted the urgent need for a National Archives central repository for non-current records. Between 1901 and 1930, a team of French and Belgian experts implemented a plan to reform Iran’s filing system. Subsequently, in 1931, a resolution was passed by the Council of Ministers to establish a centralized repository for government records. Under this resolution, the Ministry of Finance (Treasury) was given the authority to collect key contracts, agreements, and government records in a designated room in Golestan Palace, named “Government Records Center“. Additional steps to institutionalize Iran’s filing system included the passage of the National Archives Bill in 1959 and the establishment of a central repository for non-current records in 1964. Ultimately, a bill to establish the National Archives Organization of Iran was submitted to the National Assembly, and on May 7, 1970, the law was ratified and communicated to the government. One of the primary components of the National Archives has been the formation of the National Archives Council, which has played a pivotal role in the functioning of the archives since its inception.
Until 2002, the National Archives of Iran operated as an independent organization under the supervision of the Administrative and Employment Affairs Organization. However, on August 24, 2002, following a resolution by the Supreme Administrative Council, the National Archives merged with the National Library of Iran forming a new organization titled the “National Library and Archives of the Islamic Republic of Iran“. Both former organizations now function as independent divisions under this unified structure, which operates under the direct authority of the Presidential Administration.