Abstract Water-distilled essential oils from the aerial parts of Tanacetum elburensis Mozaff. and Tanacetum persicum (Boiss.) Mozaff. were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Thirty-one compounds representing 90.7% of the oil of T.elburensis were identified, among which menthyl isovalerate (20.0%) and 1,8-cineole (16.6%) were the major. The oil of T.persicum was characterized by higher amounts of borneol (24.3%), menthyl acetate (17.3%), isobornyl2-methyl butyrate (16.0%) and artedouglasia oxide D (14.3%) among the twenty-two components comprising 91.8% of the total oil detected. Both oils were richer in oxygenated monoterpenes than sesquiterpenes.