May 17 – National Communications and Public Relations Day

The Oil Industry: Founder of Modern Public Relations in Iran

The winter of 1955 marked a turning point in Iran’s administrative history. For the first time, the title of “Public Relations” was officially included in the organizational charts of the Abadan Oil Refining Company and the Oil Exploration and Production Company operating in the oil-rich southern regions. This milestone is regarded as the formal institutionalization of public relations in Iran’s administrative structure and the official beginning of the field in the country. Prior to this, there had been various activities related to publishing and internal/external communications within the oil industry, though mostly on an informal basis.

 The establishment of a dedicated public relations office within the oil companies represented a major step toward legitimizing this vital communication function. As early as 1940, under the directive of the then Prime Minister, the General Directorate of Publications and Propaganda was established under the Ministry of Culture to oversee the publication of government news, radio broadcasts, and advertising.

In 1946, in response to labor protests, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company also established an “Information Department” in Abadan, followed later by a branch in Tehran. This department was later renamed the “Publications Department” and included two main branches: “Public Relations” and “Publicity” (indirect advertising).

 According to some accounts, this Publications Department of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company was the first official public relations entity in Iran. It operated during two key periods—1946 to 1948 and 1948 to 1951—before being dissolved following the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry. During this time, periodicals such as Weekly News and Daily Reports were published, and prominent figures like Abolghasem Halat, Dr. Hamid Notghi, Ebrahim Golestan, Mohammad Ali Movahed, Houshang Pezeshknia, and Najaf Daryabandari were active contributors.

 Following the nationalization of the oil industry, the publications structure remained intact, but management was transferred to Iranian officials. Engineer Abbas Mazda became the first Iranian director, followed briefly by Naser Najmi. Eventually, based on staff recommendations, Dr. Hamid Notghi—who would later be known as the “Father of Public Relations in Iran”—took over leadership of the department from 1951 to 1954. With the formation of the oil consortium in 1954, the organizational structure was significantly reformed. The Publications Department was divided into two separate units: “Employee Communications” and “Public Affairs.”

In the winter of 1955, a formal Public Relations Department was officially incorporated into the structure of the oil companies. Subsequently, both the National Iranian Oil Company and the Tehran office of the consortium established their own PR departments. Through their effective efforts, these departments played a crucial role in solidifying the status of public relations in Iran. By the 1960s, their success served as a model for many other industries and organizations across the country.