Islamic Azad University (Persian: دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی , Dāneshgāh-e Āzād-e Eslāmi) is a private chain of universities in Iran. Headquartered in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and currently has an enrollment of 1.5 million students, making it the world's third largest. Azad University has over 400 branches across the country and also in other countries. It has branches and universities in U.A.E, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Lebanon and Armenia. Islamic Azad University have started to launching universities and branches in Malaysia, Canada, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. These will open in a near future. Over the years, the university has accumulated assets estimated to be worth between $20 and $25 billion. The university system also operates a news agency similar to ANA, named "Azad News Agency". Islamic Azad University's activities quickly expanded throughout the country, so that today thousands of students are benefiting from its high educational standards. Not relying on government funding, it receives charitable donations and charges students with tuition fees.