While there is continuing research on instructional leadership, there are limited attempts from Eastern cultural societies and contexts where education is highly centralized. This paper explores instructional leadership in Iranian public primary schools, from the perspectives of successful principals. Through interviews with 26 participants, this study sought to illuminate their perspectives toward their role as instructional leaders. As a result, a model of instructional leadership was described, which had three dimensions -- paying attention to the school's vision, managing the instructional program, and promoting a learning climate -- and seven associated functions. This model is a contextually relevant version of the dominant view of instructional leadership. The research reveals how features of specific societies shape instructional leadership conceptualizations, and it reinforces the need to consider leadership and context.