The Institute of Oriental Studies, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (IOS NAS RA) was founded in 1971, based on the Sector of Oriental Studies, created in 1958.

The greatest credit for the foundation of the Institute must go to Academician M.G. Nersissyan and Prof. H.G. Injikyan (Head of the Sector from 1958 to 1971), the first Director of the IOS Academician G. Kh. Sarkissyan (1971-1994) and Corresponding Member of NAS RA, the Director of the IOS 1994-2006 N.H. Hovhannisyan. The Director of IOS from 2006 to 2020 was Academician R.A. Safrastyan. The present Director of IOS is Associate Prof. R.P. Ghazaryan since 2020.