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Islamic Revolution Document Center
FounderSayyid Hamid Ruhani
Legal statusActive
FocusIslamic Revolution of Iran
HeadquartersTehran
Location
ProductsDocuments of the Islamic Revolution (Book)
President
Mustafa Purmuhammadi
Websitehttps://irdc.ir
Formerly called
Document Office of the Islamic Revolution

The Islamic Revolution Document Center (Persian: مرکز اسناد انقلاب اسلامی) is a pivotal institution in the contemporary historiography of Iran. Established by decree of Imam Khomeini, its primary mandate is to compile and document the history of the Islamic Revolution. Originally operating as the Document Office, it evolved into the central repository for the collection and preservation of Revolutionary records in 1988, following a direct mandate from Imam Khomeini.

The Center operates under the supervision of a Board of Trustees and the strategic guidance of the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. From 2020 to 2024, the Board—comprising Mustafa Purmuhammadi, Sayyid Hamid Ruhani, and Ahmad Khaza'i—served as the institution's highest policy-making authority, with Purmuhammadi holding the presidency.

The Center's broader initiatives include conducting oral history interviews with underrepresented individuals and groups who participated in the Islamic Revolution. Additionally, it actively supports and publishes academic books, theses, and research projects pertaining to the Revolution's history.

In 2023, the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution designated Dey 25 (January 15)—the anniversary of Imam Khomeini's seminal 1989 letter on Revolutionary historiography—as the "Day of Historiography of the Islamic Revolution".

Position and Introduction

The Islamic Revolution Document Center was established shortly after the victory of the Revolution, pursuant to a decree by Imam Khomeini aimed at comprehensively documenting the history of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.[1] Scholars recognize the Center as one of the preeminent institutions in Iran dedicated exclusively to the compilation of contemporary history.[2]

According to Muhammad Husayn Furughi, director of the Qom Document Center, the institution functioned as the Document Office until 1989. Following Imam Khomeini's explicit directives, it was subsequently restructured into the primary national repository for collecting and preserving all documents related to the Islamic Revolution.[3] By 2009, the Center had achieved the top national ranking for the publication of books, archival materials, and document-based historical research.[4]

In 1996, the Center was officially registered as a historical research institute[5] and a non-governmental organization with the Companies Registration Office.[6] That same year, with the endorsement of the Supreme Leader, the Center issued a nationwide directive requesting all governmental and non-governmental organizations to transfer their relevant archives to the Center to ensure a comprehensive historical record of the Revolution.[7]

In 2023, the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution designated Dey 25—coinciding with the publication of Imam Khomeini's decisive 1989 letter on Revolutionary historiography—as the "Day of Historiography of the Islamic Revolution".[8] The institution's headquarters are located in the Tajrish district of Tehran.[9]

Letter of Imam Khomeini to Sayyid Hamid Ruhani regarding the compilation of the history of the Islamic Revolution in 1989

History and Formation

Prior to the Islamic Revolution, in 1977, Sayyid Hamid Ruhani compiled a comprehensive collection of events, notices, and declarations related to Imam Khomeini.[10] These documents were subsequently published in Beirut as the first volume of Barrasi wa tahlili az nahdat-i Imam Khumayni (A Review and Analysis of the Movement of Imam Khomeini).[11] Through the authorship of this seminal work, many scholars recognize Ruhani as the pioneer of Islamic Revolution historiography.[12]

In 1980, Imam Khomeini formally tasked Sayyid Hamid Ruhani with collecting records of the events and milestones of the Revolution.[13] Consequently, Ruhani established the Islamic Revolution Document Center in Qom that same year, initiating foundational archival practices such as press clipping and the cataloging of general documents.[14] Between 1980 and 1985, the Center's primary activities focused on conducting extensive interviews with the families of Revolutionary martyrs, victims of assassinations, and prominent religious scholars in Qom.[15]

By 1982, the Tehran Document Center was established, leading to the transfer of a significant portion of the Qom archives to the capital.[16] There, the institution expanded its documentary, research, and historical methodologies.[17] On Dey 25, 1367 Sh (January 15, 1989), Imam Khomeini issued a pivotal letter officially entrusting Sayyid Hamid Ruhani with the mission of compiling the history of the Islamic Revolution with absolute historiographical rigor and precision.[18] He emphasized the critical necessity of accurately amassing written, audio, and visual documents to combat and rectify unrealistic or revisionist historical narratives.[19]

On January 31, 1989, referencing Imam Khomeini's letter, Sayyid Hamid Ruhani publicly highlighted numerous historical distortions present in high school and university history textbooks—particularly regarding the role of the clergy in the Constitutional Revolution (noting texts published around 1981)—and stressed the urgent need for their revision.[20][21] In a subsequent letter dated Esfand 4, 1367 Sh (February 23, 1989), addressed to Sayyid Ali Khamenei (then head of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution), Imam Khomeini characterized Ruhani's concerns as a vital warning to all dedicated to Islam and the Revolution, underscoring the necessity of strict oversight in textbook compilation.[22] Following these developments, the institution officially adopted the title of the Islamic Revolution Document Center.[23]

Meeting of the staff of the Islamic Revolution Document Center with Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in 2011

Necessity and Goal

Scholars observe that Imam Khomeini emphasized the critical need for an institution to record Revolutionary events well before the formal establishment of the Islamic Revolution Document Center. Following the martyrdom of citizens in Jahrom, Mashhad, and Kerman in July 1978, Imam Khomeini issued a warning that such atrocities might be denied by future revisionists, urging writers and historians to meticulously document the unfolding history of the Revolution.[24]

The primary objective of the Center is to systematically collect, preserve, and compile archival documents related to the Pahlavi era, the broader history of the Islamic Revolution, and the specific movement led by Imam Khomeini.[25] This mission extends to recording the memoirs of Revolutionary activists to facilitate robust, documentary-based historical research.[26] The Center's extensive archives comprise classified reports from SAVAK, Pahlavi-era law enforcement agencies, the Islamic Revolution Court, universities, and various governmental bodies, alongside pivotal documents from the Revolutionary transition and the subsequent establishment of the Islamic Republic.[27] In 1996, a comprehensive ten-year strategic plan was implemented to further advance and institutionalize these goals.[28]

You must demonstrate how the people rose against oppression and tyranny, petrification and regression, replacing the ideology of American Islam with the pure thought of Muhammadan Islam, thereby supplanting royalist, capitalist, and eclectic interpretations of Islam.

Imam Khomeini addressing Sayyid Hamid Ruhani, the then head of the Islamic Revolution Document Center[29]

Presidency

The Islamic Revolution Document Center is administered by a Board of Trustees operating under the overarching guidance of the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.[30] Prior to 2020, the Board's leadership spanned two distinct eras. The inaugural period (1982–1995) included members such as Sayyid Hamid Ruhani, Mahdi Karrubi, and Fatima Karrubi. The subsequent period (1995–2020) featured Sayyid Hamid Ruhani, Mustafa Purmuhammadi, and Ruh Allah Husayniyan.[31]

From 2020 to 2024, the Board—comprising Mustafa Purmuhammadi, Sayyid Hamid Ruhani, and Ahmad Khaza'i—functioned as the institution's highest policy-making authority.[32] Sayyid Hamid Ruhani served as the Center's founding president from its inception until 1995, when Ruh Allah Husayniyan assumed the role.[33] Following Husayniyan's passing in 2020, Mustafa Purmuhammadi, who had previously chaired the Board of Trustees, formally took over the presidency.[34]

Visit of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to the Document Center in 2004

Structure and Activities

The organizational structure of the Islamic Revolution Document Center is divided into several key departments, notably the Deputy of Documents and Library, the Deputy of Planning and Support, the Deputy of Oral History, the Deputy of Research, and the Cultural and Artistic Institute.[35] The Center's primary operational focus remains the meticulous collection and archiving of historical documents pertaining to the Islamic Revolution. As of 2024, it has preserved and made accessible over 4.5 million pages of archival records.[36]

Another critical function is the execution of oral history projects. This involves identifying and interviewing individuals whose contributions to the Islamic Revolution had previously been neglected or remained undocumented.[37] The systematic recording, cataloging, and compilation of memoirs across various demographics commenced in the late 1980s (the Solar Hijri 1360s).[38] By 2022, the Center had amassed an impressive 40,000 hours of recorded interviews.[39]

Additionally, the Center actively sponsors the authorship of academic books, university theses, and independent research projects related to Revolutionary history, alongside providing specialized training for emerging researchers in the field.[40] On average, the Document Center publishes approximately 72 distinct research works annually, all derived directly from its archival and historical activities.[41]

In writing the history of the Islamic Revolution, improving quality and paying attention to the millions of young audiences who lack precise information about the Islamic Revolution and its related issues must be the first priority.

Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in a meeting with officials and researchers of the Islamic Revolution Document Center[42]

The inaugural volume of the Islamic Revolution Documents collection was published in the winter of 1991. This landmark publication compiled all letters and formal statements issued by Maraji', the clergy, and various religious societies between 1961 and Bahman 22, 1357 Sh (February 11, 1979).[43] By 2023, the Center had produced and printed over 1,200 book titles spanning diverse aspects of Revolutionary history.[44] The Center's affiliated periodicals currently in circulation include the magazine Panzdah-e Khordad and the specialized academic journal Tahqiqat-i Asnadi-yi Inqilab-i Islami (Documentary Research of the Islamic Revolution).[45]

Furthermore, the Center engages extensively in media, cultural, and artistic endeavors. It produces a wide array of multimedia content—including historical documentaries, music videos, infographics, audiobooks, and e-books—and provides critical documentary and content support for historical film productions.[46]

Notes

  1. ↑ Nasrallahi, "Inqilab-i Islami dar internet", p. 8; Sasanikhah, "Tarikh-nigari-yi Inqilab-i Islami bayad bar asas-i chashm-andazi ke Imam ta'rif kardeh harakat konad".
  2. ↑ Amini & Dalili, "Asib-shinasi-yi tarikh-nigari-yi rasmi dar Iran; mutali'a-yi mawridi; tarikh-nigari dar Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami", p. 166.
  3. ↑ ISNA, "40 hezar sa'at musahiba dar Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami mawjud ast"; Hamshahri Online, "Ashna'i ba Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami"; Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  4. ↑ Gulmuhammadi, "Asib-shinasi-yi pazhuhish-haye siyasi-yi sanad-mehvar dar Iran-i mu'asir", p. 55.
  5. ↑ Hamshahri Online, "Ashna'i ba Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami"; Noormags, "Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami".
  6. ↑ Nasrallahi, "Inqilab-i Islami dar internet", p. 8.
  7. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Farakhan-i Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami be dastgah-ha baraye ara'a-yi dastaward-haye 40 sala-yi inqilab".
  8. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Tarikh-nigari-yi Inqilab-i Islami wa tahaqquq-i chashm-andazha".
  9. ↑ Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  10. ↑ Sasanikhah, "Tarikh-nigari-yi Inqilab-i Islami bayad bar asas-i chashm-andazi ke Imam ta'rif kardeh harakat konad".
  11. ↑ Ibrahimzadeh Gurji, "Kitab-i Nahdat-i Imam".
  12. ↑ "Ma'rifi-yi kitab; ashna'i ba kitab: Nahdat-i Imam Khumayni", p. 158.
  13. ↑ Sasanikhah, "Tarikh-nigari-yi Inqilab-i Islami bayad bar asas-i chashm-andazi ke Imam ta'rif kardeh harakat konad".
  14. ↑ ISNA, "40 hezar sa'at musahiba dar Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami mawjud ast".
  15. ↑ ISNA, "40 hezar sa'at musahiba dar Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami mawjud ast".
  16. ↑ ISNA, "40 hezar sa'at musahiba dar Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami mawjud ast".
  17. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Amadigi-yi Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi Qom baraye ara'a-yi imkanat be tarikh-pazhuhan".
  18. ↑ Khomeini, Sahifa-yi Imam, 1389 Sh, vol. 21, p. 239.
  19. ↑ "Nama-yi Hazrat-i Imam Khumayni be ra'is-i waqt-i Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami darbara-yi tadwin-i tarikh-i mubarizat-i inqilabi", p. 10; Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".
  20. ↑ Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  21. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Nama-yi muhimm-i Sayyid Hamid Ruhani khatab be Imam Khumayni".
  22. ↑ Portal of Imam Khomeini, "Hukm be Ayatollah Khamenei (Luzum-i nazarat bar tadwin-i kitab-haye darsi)".
  23. ↑ Hamshahri Online, "Ashna'i ba Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami".
  24. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Tabyin-i fa'aliyat-haye Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami dar hawza-yi tarikh-i inqilab"; Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  25. ↑ Nasrallahi, "Inqilab-i Islami dar internet", p. 8.
  26. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".
  27. ↑ Gulmuhammadi, "Asib-shinasi-yi pazhuhish-haye siyasi-yi sanad-mehvar dar Iran-i mu'asir", p. 55.
  28. ↑ Nasrallahi, "Inqilab-i Islami dar internet", p. 8.
  29. ↑ Khamenei.ir, "Didar-i mas'ulan wa muhaqqiqan-i Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami ba Rahbar-i Inqilab".
  30. ↑ Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  31. ↑ Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  32. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".
  33. ↑ Hamshahri Online, "Ashna'i ba Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami".
  34. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".
  35. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Tamas ba ma".
  36. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".
  37. ↑ Nizami Khandan, "Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami, Markaz", p. 142.
  38. ↑ Bakhshi, "Naqsh-i tarikh-i shafahi dar amuzish-i tarikh", p. 34; Nikbakht, "Zanan-i mubariz wa tarikh-i shafahi", p. 102.
  39. ↑ ISNA, "40 hezar sa'at musahiba dar Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami mawjud ast".
  40. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".
  41. ↑ Hamshahri Online, "Ashna'i ba Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami".
  42. ↑ Khamenei.ir, "Didar-i mas'ulan wa muhaqqiqan-i Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami ba Rahbar-i Inqilab".
  43. ↑ "Intishar-i awwalin jild-i asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami", p. 43-44.
  44. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Vazifa-yi Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami in ast ke tibq-i asnad-i waqi'i haqayiq-i tarikhi ra bazgu konad".
  45. ↑ Noormags, "Markaz-i Asnad-i Inqilab-i Islami".
  46. ↑ Islamic Revolution Document Center, "Darbara-yi ma".

References

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