Iran’s Position in Russia’s Foreign Policy: As Told by a Book

According to Khabaronline, the book ‘Iran’s Position in Russia’s Foreign Policy (1578-2022)’, written by Ali Esmaeili, PhD in International Relations and Middle East researcher, and Mohammad Karim Darabi, PhD in Political Science, was published by Chapakhsh Publications.

The most significant difference between this work and other published works in the field of Iran-Russia relations is that the present book covers a vast historical scope from the era of the Tsars in 1578 until the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Secondly, the research method in this book combines history and international relations. It initially addresses Iran’s position in Russian foreign policy until the collapse of the Soviet Union from a historical perspective, and then from an international relations perspective, it examines the cooperation and challenges of cooperation between the two countries in various fields after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The final chapter, using James Rosenau’s continuity model, analyzes Iran’s position in the foreign policy of the Russian Federation from Boris Yeltsin to Vladimir Putin. With this introduction, the book includes an introduction and five chapters, as follows:

Chapter One: Analysis of the History of Iran-Russia Relations

This chapter begins by examining Russia’s relations with Iran during the Tsarist era. The most important period was the wars of Russia against Iran during the Qajar era, which had a profound impact on Iran’s political and economic destiny. The conclusion of treaties such as Golestan and Turkmenchay, in addition to the loss of parts of Iranian territory, led to a shift in the balance of power in the region. This analysis shows how these events led to the formation of a pattern of mistrust between the two countries.