The aim of this study carried out in Shahid Chamran Ahwaz, University, in 2001-2002 to determine the effect of different forms of irrigation on the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) yield and yield components. Information was needed on application time of irrigation water on cultivars of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). Increasing competition for water supplies and rising costs of applying water make efficient irrigation important. Yield and water use of safflower were evaluated on silt loam soil. Deficit irrigation treatments; I1: normal irrigation, I2: cutoff irrigation in budding period, I3: cutoff irrigation in flowering period (blooming), I4: cutoff irrigation in maturity period, were examined in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCB) with three replications. In this field experiment irrigation regimes were the main plots and cvs (ARAK 28, ESFAHAN LOCALITY and FO2 cvs) were as sub plots. The plant height, the plant head number, the 1000 seed weight, and the seed yield were measured in this experiment. The different irrigation regimes had a significant effects (p < 0.05) on the seed, the crude oil yields (kg ha(-1)), seed number per boll, harvest index, total dry weight. The highest seed yield (2679 kg seed ha(-1) in cv. ESFAHAN Lo.) and the crude oil yield (855 kg oil ha(-1) in cv. ARAK) were obtained from the I1 irrigation regime. I3 gave the lowest seed yield (1499 kg seed ha(-1) in cv. FO2) and the crude oil yield (449 kg oil ha(-1) in cv. FO2). I1 gave the highest oil percentage (35% in ARAK cv.) and the lowest (27.4% in FO2 cv.) obtained in I4. The different between cvs were significant in number of boll per plant, number of seed per boll, the 1000 seed, high, number of branch per plant, seed yield (kg ha(-1)), crude oil yield and total dry weight.