1970

The IEEE Iran Section was formed on 17 March 1970 and is located in Region 8.

1997

IEEE Student Branch at University of Tehran was the first unit to begin its formal operation in November 1997.

1999

"The IEEE Student Branch at University of Tehran is doing significant work to support the professional development of their fellow students..." This was a part of the note that Dr. Kenneth Laker, 1999 IEEE President, wrote for the student branch in his visit to Iran.

The IEEE President and Region 8 Director, Dr Rolf Remshardt, made a visit to Iran on February 20th-24th 1999 for the first time in the history. In their 3-day visit they presented lectures about the IEEE and region 8 student activities. They also visited several universities,and IRTC (Iranian Telecommunication Research Center).

2000

The University of Tehran student branch received the Region 8 RAB Membership growth award in 2000!

2002

In January 2002, the IEEE, as a U.S. Corporation, took actions required by the U.S. Treasury Department trade regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The IEEE informed members residing in the sanctioned country of Iran that they were not able to take advantage of member benefits and services except for print subscriptions to IEEE publications. This meant that members located in Iranian could not contribute as authors, reviewers, or editors to IEEE publications.

2004

After two years of IEEE effort, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ruled on 2 April 2004 that the IEEE's publishing process is exempt from OFAC regulations and licensing requirements for scholarly papers submitted by authors from Iran. OFAC issued general licenses that removed final lingering concerns about co-authorship and other joint professional activities, including electronic communications, with members in Iran.

2005

Events in 2005 brought the promise of a new beginning for the IEEE Iran Section, which is working to rebuild its membership after the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ruled in May 2005 that the IEEE can recognize the section as one of its official units. That means the section can once again organize activities for its members and students.

It hasn't taken long for the section to jumpstart its activities. It has been working hard to boost its membership by running meeting notices in local papers and organizing technical forums that focus on the country's hot areas of technology like telecommunications and power. September 2005, for example, it helped organize an international conference in Shiraz, Iran, on telecommunications.