This study aims to explore the awareness and perception of Diamond Open Access (DOA) among university professors in Iran, highlighting the current understanding of this model in academic publishing. This study used a quantitative method to assess university professors’ awareness and perceptions of Diamond Open Access (DOA) in Iran. A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data from diverse faculties at the University of Birjand. A structured questionnaire gathered demographic information, awareness, perceived benefits and challenges, information sources, and preferred licenses. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, factor analysis, and Chi-Square tests were conducted to identify patterns and relationships in the data. The findings reveal a moderate level of awareness regarding DOA among participants, with a significant number expressing concerns about the credibility and quality of DOA journals. There is a recognition of DOA’s potential to democratize research access, though understanding its specific features remains limited. Awareness varies significantly by academic discipline, with social sciences and humanities researchers demonstrating lower familiarity than their counterparts in the sciences. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on open access by providing empirical evidence on the awareness and perceptions of DOA within a developing country context. It highlights critical gaps in understanding and advocates for targeted educational initiatives to enhance engagement with this model. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.