Irania is dedicated to the study of Iranian civilization in the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The academic reference work will eventually cover all aspects of Iranian history and culture as well as all Iranian languages and literature, facilitating the whole range of Iranian studies research from archaeology to political sciences.
The Encyclopedia is an international, collaborative project, based at Columbia University in the City of New York. Its compilation is overseen by the general editor Ehsan Yarshater and a team of Consulting Editors, all internationally renowned scholars of Iranian studies, who assist in the commissioning and editing of entries. The in-house editorial staff works at Columbia's Center for Iranian Studies. Entries are solicited through invitation only, and are subjected to peer review to ensure factual reliability, scholarly objectivity, and political independence.
In recognition of its high academic achievements, the Encyclopedia has received continuous financial support since its inception in the 1970s, from major sponsors, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities. The non-profit Encyclopedia Irania Foundation is dedicated to guaranteeing the Encyclopedia's intellectual independence by covering parts of its operating budget.
The first fascicle of the Encyclopedia's printed edition appeared in 1982, while the first version of the web-based digital edition was established in 1996. This digital version was developed in 2009-2010, in collaboration with the web design company Electric Pulp, to provide a more user-friendly interface for accessing the Encyclopedia's online content.
The printed version of the Encyclopedia is published by the Encyclopedia Irania Foundation and is distributed on its behalf by Eisenbrauns, Inc., based in the state of Indiana. The Encyclopedia can be subscribed to and received either by fascicles (soft-bound sections of 125 two-column pages) or bound volumes. Every four months, a new fascicle, and every 18 months, a new volume is published. Fascicles cost $38 each while bound volumes of six fascicles cost $250 each. Each copy of an Encyclopedia volume costs over $700 to produce and is sold for a little more than one-third of its production cost. The difference is met through grants and contributions.