Russians in Iran : diplomacy and the politics of power in the Qajar era and beyond

Russians in Iran seeks to challenge the traditional narrative regarding Russian involvement in Iran and to show that, whilst Russia's historical involvement in Iran is longstanding, it is nonetheless much misunderstood. Russia's influence in Iran between 1800 and the middle of the twentieth century is not simply a story of inexorable intrusion and domination: rather, it is a complex and interactive process of mostly indirect control and constructive engagement. Drawing on fresh archival material, the contributors provide a window into the power and influence wielded in Iran not just by the Russian government through it traditional representatives but by Russian nationals operating in Iran in a variety of capacities, including individuals, bankers, and entrepreneurs. Russians in Iran reveals the multifaceted role that Russians have played in Iranian history and provides an original and important contribution to the history and international relations of Iran, Russia and the Middle East The story of Russian involvement with Iran in the nineteenth century is well known. After territorial disputes with the Qajar dynasty culminated in two wars, the outcome of which was victory for Russia and humiliating treaties for Iran, so Russia continued with high-]level machinations as Iran sought to play off the British and the Russians against each other. Finally, in the early years of the twentieth century, Russia took direct action against the establishment of an Iranian parliament in 1909. Russians in Iran seeks both to question and add a new dimension to this traditional narrative. The contributors show how Russia’s influence in Iran between 1800 and the middle of the twentieth century was not simply a story of inexorable intrusion and domination, as often presented. Rather, it was a subtle and interactive process of mostly indirect control and constructive engagement. Exploring this more complex situation, the contributors move outside the usual focus on official policy makers, diplomats and high-level military personnel, to include more mid-rank officials and private citizens operating in a variety of capacities, including bankers, architects and entrepreneurs. The result is a unique window into the power and influence wielded in Iran not just by the Russian government through its more traditional representatives but also by Russian nationals operating in Iran. Bringing together a range of leading scholars, and drawing on fresh archival material and rare images, this important work shows that whilst Russia’s historical involvement with Iran is longstanding it has nonetheless been much misunderstood. Front Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 7 List of Figures 9 List of Contributors 12 Introduction 15 PART I WAR AND DIPLOMACY: THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 21 1. The Early Stages of Russo–Iranian Relations 22 2. The Khan, the Shah and the Tsar: The Khanate of Talesh between Iran and Russia 34 3. Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov: Russian Imperial James Bond Malgré lui. In Memory of the 225th Anniversary of his Birth 59 4. Russian Government Action against Russian Deserters in Iran in the Nineteenth Century: Russian Orientalism at the State Level 85 PART II INTELLIGENCE AND INTRUSION: THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 101 5. Nest of Revolution: The Caucasus, Iran, and Armenians 102 6. The Loan and Discount Bank as an Agent of Russian Interests in Iran 129 7. Infidel Aggression: The Russian Assault on the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza, Mashhad, 1912 143 PART III OFFICERS AND ORIENTALISTS: THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 177 8. A Russian Officer's Letters on Russian and British Activities in Iran during World War I 178 9. Vladimir Minorsky (1877–1966) and the Iran–Iraq War (1980–8): The Centenary of “Minorsky's Frontier” 193 10. Reconstructions of a Native in Exile Cossack Brigade Fighter and Architect of Tehran – Nikolai L'vovich Markov (1882–1957) 221 PART IV IDEOLOGY AND OCCUPATION: THE 1930S AND 1940s 242 11. From the Imperial Periphery to the Boundaries of Power: Soviet Diplomatic Officials in 1930s Iran 243 12. Convenient Comrades: Re-assessing the Relationship between the Soviet Union and the Tudeh Party during the British–Soviet Occupation of Iran, 1941–5 276 13. The USSR and the Allied Occupation of Iran in August 1941: The Untold Story of a Difficult Decision 297 Russia,Iran,Qajar dynasty,nineteenth- and twentieth-century history "Russians in Iran seeks to challenge the traditional narrative regarding Russian involvement Iran and to show that whilst Russia's historical involvement in Iran is longstanding it is nonetheless much misunderstood. Russia's influence in Iran between 1800 and the middle of the twentieth century is not simply a story of inexorable intrusion and domination: rather, it is a complex and interactive process of mostly indirect control and constructive engagement. Drawing on fresh archival material, the contributors provide a window into the power and influence wielded in Iran not just by the Russian government through it traditional representatives but by Russian nationals operating in Iran in a variety of capacities, including individuals, bankers, and entrepreneurs. Russians in Iran reveals the multifaceted role that Russians have played in Iranian history and provides an original and important contribution to the history and international relations of Iran, Russia and the Middle East."--Bloomsbury Publishing