Iran-e Bastan Weekly (Ancient Iran)

The International Institute of Social History now holds a complete run of Iran-e bastan, a weekly published in Iran some seventy years ago. This magazine is a valuable source for researching interbellum Iran.

Iran-e bastan with Saif Azad as editor in chief started on 14 July 1933 in Tehran as an illustrated weekly covering politics and economy. Its masthead read: Introducing present day Iran to foreigners and to those Iranians living abroad, particularly to Parsees residing in India. It advocated support of the 'Shahanshahi' (imperial) glories of ancient Iran. Iran-e bastan recounted the progress and developments of Nazi Germany under the leadership of Adolph Hitler and the National Socialist Party. The icon of the Broken Cross can be seen at the top of many issues.
Iran-e bastan stopped publication on 29 December 1935. Its 110 issues (1933-1935) can now be consulted at the IISH reading room (call number: ZF 67083).