The National Commission for UNESCO in Iran was established in 1948, following Iran’s admission to UNESCO and the approval of the then National Consultative Assembly. To define its objectives, duties and organizational structure, the Commission drafted a statute consisting of thirteen articles. Upon the proposal of the Minister of Culture, the statute was approved by .the Council of Ministers on 4 May 1949

Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the statute was revised. The amended statute, consisting of seventeen articles and four notes, was submitted to the Cabinet by the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education after being approved by the Commission’s High Council. It was approved on 20 September 1987. Dr Hassan Fartousi is the Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO in Iran.

The National Commission for UNESCO has five specific roles:

• Liaison role: Serving as a liaison between the Government, governmental and non-governmental institutions, UNESCO, its subregional, regional and interregional centres and offices, the national commissions of other countries, and the organizations of the United Nations system.
• Advisory role: Providing advisory services to the Government, relevant institutions and organizations on UNESCO’s fields of work, particularly regarding ways to participate in UNESCO’s activities and program.
• Information and communication role: Introducing UNESCO’s objectives, strategies, program and publications at the national level through national and local media; collecting national statistics and data related to UNESCO’s fields of activity for dissemination worldwide; and translating and publishing UNESCO books and documents in Persian.
• Coordinating role: Undertaking the necessary coordination for the implementation of UNESCO programs in the country and facilitating the participation of government and non-governmental authorities, institutions and individuals in UNESCO gatherings and meetings.
• Representative and executive role: Participating in meetings of UNESCO’s governing bodies and intergovernmental committees as part of the country’s official delegations and, when assigned, cooperating in the preparation of permanent delegations for these meetings. This role also includes planning and organizing conferences, round tables and specialized events in areas related to UNESCO; preparing documentation and submitting their outcomes to UNESCO; and making use of the financial or technical support of various partners in carrying out these missions.