ANA News Agency
An Iranian news agency owned by Islamic Azad University and focused on university, educational, social, political, and general news.
Last updated August 25, 2026
Overview
ANA News Agency, also known as Azad News Agency, is an Iranian news organization associated with Islamic Azad University. The agency was launched on 19 May 2004 at the university's Human Science Department. Its stated institutional purpose is to support information dissemination and strengthen coverage of university-related activities, while also operating across a wider range of news subjects. ANA publishes news in Persian, English, and Arabic. Its connection to Islamic Azad University gives it a distinctive position among Iranian news outlets: it functions both as a general news provider and as a communications platform for the university's extensive academic and institutional network. Coverage linked to higher education and university affairs is therefore central to its identity, although the agency also reports on broader public and current-affairs topics. The agency's ownership and organizational affiliation remain with Islamic Azad University. Public reference material identifies Mohammad Mahdi Kheirjou as ANA's chief executive. No reliable information in the supplied sources establishes an independent corporate listing, a separate publicly traded parent, a founding individual, or a detailed headquarters location. ANA's three-language publishing model gives it a potential audience beyond Persian-speaking readers. Persian serves its principal domestic information environment, while English and Arabic extend the agency's reach to international and regional audiences. Its website, ana.ir, is the agency's primary public digital presence. The available reference material provides limited detail about ANA's internal structure, revenue model, audience metrics, major editorial divisions, or commercial products. On the evidence available, the brand is best understood as an active university-affiliated Iranian news agency rather than as a conventional consumer media brand. Its core offering is timely written news and institutional information distributed through digital channels, with particular relevance to Islamic Azad University and the wider higher-education community.
History
Azad News Agency, commonly branded ANA, was established on 19 May 2004 at the Human Science Department of Islamic Azad University in Iran. Its creation reflected an institutional aim of improving the circulation of information and developing a dedicated channel for reporting on the university's activities. From the beginning, the agency was closely connected to the university rather than structured as an independent news organization with no institutional parent. The agency's remit extends beyond internal university communications. Reference material describes ANA as active in several areas, including university affairs and broader news coverage. This combination gives it a dual identity: it serves the information needs of Islamic Azad University while also operating as a news outlet for a wider audience. The university affiliation is an important part of the brand's editorial and organizational context. ANA publishes in Persian, English, and Arabic. The multilingual model supports domestic Persian-language distribution and provides English- and Arabic-language access for readers outside the primary Persian-speaking audience. It also corresponds to the agency's role as a channel through which information about Islamic Azad University and related developments can reach regional and international readers. Islamic Azad University is identified as the owner of the agency. The supplied reference material names Mohammad Mahdi Kheirjou as the current chief executive, but it does not provide a complete chronology of leadership, a detailed account of the agency's organizational changes, or information about its financial structure. Similarly, the available sources do not document major acquisitions, product generations, pricing decisions, scandals, or significant public campaigns. The agency's website is ana.ir, which serves as its principal digital outlet. On the available evidence, ANA remains an active Iranian news agency whose principal historical development was its creation as an information and news platform within Islamic Azad University, followed by the development of multilingual publishing and broader news activity. Further details about its newsroom divisions, circulation, audience size, and later milestones require additional authoritative sourcing.
- 2004Agency launched
Azad News Agency was launched on 19 May 2004 at the Human Science Department of Islamic Azad University in Iran.
Products and positioning
A university-affiliated Iranian news agency combining institutional coverage of Islamic Azad University with multilingual general news distribution.
ANA digital news serviceNews agency2004
ANA's core service is digital news publication under the Azad News Agency brand. It distributes written reporting and institutional information through its website, with coverage connected to Islamic Azad University as well as broader public and current-affairs subjects. The service operates across Persian, English, and Arabic, allowing the agency to address domestic readers and audiences in regional and international contexts.
Islamic Azad University news coverageInstitutional media2004
A central editorial function of ANA is reporting on the activities and affairs of Islamic Azad University. This includes disseminating information connected with the university and its academic environment. The offering reflects the agency's original institutional purpose and differentiates it from news organizations that do not have a direct university affiliation.
Flagship businesses
- ANA digital news service
- Islamic Azad University news coverage
Leadership
| Name | Title | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Mahdi Kheirjou | Chief Executive Officer | — |
Sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/ana-news-agency · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled