Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah, Rūznāmah-i (Qājār) – Collection of 11 years including 471 issues

The newspaper 'Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' was established in Tehran under the management of 'Mīrzā Jabbār Tadhkirah-chī', the father of Saʻd al-Dawlah, with the assistance and translation of 'Burjīs Ṣāḥib', and through the encouragement and efforts of 'Mīrzā Taqī Khān Amīr Kabīr'. The first issue of this newspaper was published on Friday, 5th Rabīʻ al-Thānī 1267 AH, with the phrase 'Yā Asad Allāh al-Ghālib' and the lion and sun emblem inscribed on its masthead. On either side, two suns were drawn, and in the middle of the page, 'Rūznāmchah-i Akhbār-i Dār al-Khilāfah' was written, beneath which an autograph of Nāṣir al-Dīn Shāh was printed.

'Mīrzā ʻAbd Allāh Nāmī' has also been mentioned as a writer for this newspaper. 'Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' was the third Iranian newspaper and the second Persian-language newspaper. This publication, which changed its name to 'Rūznāmah-i Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' from its second issue, generally had the following names throughout its lifetime: Issue one: 'Rūznāmchah-i Akhbār-i Dār al-Khilāfah-i Tihrān'; Issues 2 to 470: 'Rūznāmah-i Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah'; Issue 471: 'Rūznāmah-i Vaqāyiʻ'; and from Issue 472, its name changed to 'Rūznāmah-i Dawlat-i ʻAlīyah-i Īrān'. Its publication schedule was weekly for the first nine years, and irregular from the tenth year, with the number of pages varying from four to twelve.

'Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' was published on Fridays until its sixteenth issue, and thereafter on Thursdays. In terms of layout, news and articles were printed in two columns up to issue 318, after which the column format was abandoned, and the content was published in a single column with ruled margins, similar to printed books of that time. This newspaper was published in a 30.5 x 17 cm format on paper manufactured in Isfahan, using lithography, with a print run of 600 to 700 copies. 'Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' was printed in Tehran's Arg Square at the private factory of Ḥājī ʻAbd al-Muḥammad.

The newspaper 'Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' was dedicated to publishing news from the capital and other Iranian cities, along with brief reports from foreign countries. Therefore, throughout its publication, it rarely featured political, literary, or historical articles, as its main purpose was to disseminate news from the court and the capital, Tehran. Typically, the newspaper began with events from the capital, prioritising news related to the Shah, such as His Majesty's hunting expeditions, visits to institutions and courtiers, titles and decrees bestowed upon various individuals, and gifts given. This was followed by other events occurring in Tehran.

This newspaper had several notable features: Firstly, it published the prices of essential goods, making it valuable for research into Iran's economic history. Secondly, government notices were published under the title 'Ishtihār-nāmah', which are useful for studying political history and social developments. Thirdly, news of Nāṣir al-Dīn Shāh's domestic travels, which is valuable for researchers of Iran's historical geography during the Qajar period. Descriptions of historical sites and ancient monuments are also significant from an archaeological perspective. The fourth advantage is its simple language, which can be considered a turning point in the evolution of Persian prose. Fifth, and most importantly, it recorded news from Iran and the world, which holds great historical value. Sixth, it responded to announcements and articles about Iran published in foreign colonial powers' newspapers.

'Vaqāyiʻ-i Ittifāqīyah' was published from issue 1 to 41 during the 'era of Amīr Kabīr's premiership'. From that issue until issue 396, it was published during the premiership of 'Mīrzā Āqā Khān Nūrī', and from issue 397 until the end of its life in Iran, it was published without a prime minister.

Available issues:

• 1267 H.Q. (38 Issues: No. 1-38)
• 1268 H.Q. (51 Issues: No. 39-89)
• 1269 H.Q. (50 Issues: No. 90-139)
• 1270 H.Q. (51 Issues: No. 140-190)
• 1271 H.Q. (51 Issues: No. 191-241)
• 1272 H.Q. (50 Issues: No. 242-291)
• 1273 H.Q. (51 Issues: No. 292-342)
• 1274 H.Q. (50 Issues: No. 343-392)
• 1275 H.Q. (50 Issues: No. 393-442)
• 1276 H.Q. (26 Issues: No. 443-468)
• 1277 H.Q. (3 Issues: No. 469-471)