Iran Air was the second airline to place an order for the 747SP. The initial order for two firm airframes and two options was signed with Boeing on October 10, 1973. The aircraft were scheduled for delivery in March and May 1976. At this point Iran Air was the first foreign customer to order this variant of the Boeing 747.

This aircraft was the ninth Boeing 747SP to fly. It was rolled out at Everett on December 16, 1975 powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7F engines. It was entered onto the Iranian Aircraft Register as EP-AIB it did not undertake is maiden flight until April 22, 1976.

Accepted by Iran Air at Paine Field on May 10, 1976 the aircraft entered service configured to seat 22 Business Class and 283 Economy Class passengers. The aircraft was originally named 'Kurdistan' but by 1992 this had been changed to 'Khorosan'. It was quickly placed into service on the Iran - United States route. Westbound services from Tehran to New York made a refuelling stop at London’s Heathrow Airport, while the eastbound New York - Tehran service, a distance of 6,296 miles was flown nonstop.

A rather unique charter was undertaken by this aircraft on September 05, 2004 when it performed a one hour sightseeing trip for aviation enthusiasts from Cologne Airport. On May 18, 2007 it made Iran Air’s first trans Atlantic flight since the 1979 Islamic revolution when it flew the newly opened Tehran - Damascus - Caracus route.

By January 2010 it had acquired a basic all-white livery and was operating Iran Air’s east Asia routes. It remains one of the few Boeing 747SPs still airworthy and used on regular commercial services in 2012.