Introduction The presence of occupational carcinogens in workplaces in Iran are not well characterized, and little is known about the burden of occupational cancer in Iran and other Middle East countries.

Objectives This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of occupational cancer studies in Iran and describe how exposures were assessed and assigned in those studies.

Methods Studies addressing exposure to and health effects from carcinogens in Iran until the end of 2020 were identified through three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar). Two reviewers independently screened the articles according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guideline. Data extracted from each eligible paper included geographical region, study design, occupation, industry, exposure agents, population size/sample size, exposure assessment methods, and cancer sites.

Results Forty-nine publications from inception to 2020 (1 cohort, 11 case-control, 34 exposure monitoring studies, and 3 other) were included. The case-control studies used self-reported job titles and/or self-reported exposures to estimate the associated risk of cancer, while exposure monitoring studies applied exposure measurements (including personal and stationary air sampling).

Conclusion Occupational cancer epidemiology in Iran is at an early stage, as evidenced by relatively small number of published articles on this topic. A coherent strategy to assess occupational exposures and cancer burden in Iran should include systematic inventory and monitoring of exposure to carcinogens for use in hazard control and research, as well as targeted tools and studies to assess unique occupational environments and their potential associated cancer hazards.