Abstract The ChahJam–Biarjmand complex (CJBC), flanked by the Alborz Mountains in the north and the Lut–Tabas block to the south, is part of Central Iranian block, where the oldest continental crust of Iran is found. This complex contains granitic to tonalitic orthogneissic rocks (old plutons) and associated metasediments, amphibolites and paragneisses. Metamorphosed granitic and granodioritic dikes intrude orthogneisses as well as metasediments and are abundant close to the plutons (orthogneissic rocks). Based on the results of bulk rock trace and rare earth elements, the orthogneissic rocks are inferred to have crystallized from subduction-related melts. Amphibolites also have subduction-related signatures and are inferred to have formed both as metamorphosed volcanoclastic sediments and as attenuated basic dikes. The presence of para-amphibolites associated with paragneisses and metasediments (mica schists) could represent a sedimentary basin filled with magmatic arc erosional products. U–Pb zircon dating of the ChahJam–Biarjmand rocks yielded 238U/206Pb crystallization ages of ca. 550 to 530 Ma (Ediacaran–early Cambrian). Sr–Nd isotope systematics on whole rocks (eNd(t) = − 2.2 to − 5.5) and zircon Hf isotope results indicate that CJBC Cadomian granitic rocks contain older, possible Mesoproterozoic, continental crust in their source. The ChahJam–Biarjmand granitic–tonalitic gneissic rocks are coeval with other similar-aged metagranites and gneisses within Iranian basement exposed in Central Iran, the Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone and the Alborz Mountains, as well as in the Tauride–Anatolide platform in western Anatolia and in NW Turkey. All these dispersed Cadomian basement rocks are interpreted to show fragments of Neoproterozoic–early Cambrian continental arcs bordering the northern active margin of Gondwana.