Page 3 - Russo-Persian Postal Relations

The Russo-Persian geopolitical relations and how it affected
Persia and its postal development during the Qajar reign,
1925/6 including WWI

Scope: How Russia’s heavy handed power politics in northern Persia (the British
were present in the South) played a significant role in the development of Persia
& its postal services from the 1850s as a result of the 1828 Turkmenchai peace
treaty until end of Qajar reign which indirectly transformed the country from a
medieval to a modern state.

Description: The policy of promoting political, economic and military influence
and trade was usually done by “force or anyway without consultations with the
Persian government. Russian Consulate postal services was established in Tabriz
between the 1860s and 1877 when Persia became a member of UPU and a postal
agreement between the two countries was signed The Russian postal services at
Tabriz reopened 1914 because of the Great War together with 4 other new
insignificant consular POs including 3 Russian state POs. Field POs both
stationary and mobile - were also opened. Normally almost no contacts between
the Russian and the Persian postal systems took place during these years with
the known exception of the Russian consular PO in Kazvin that assisted the
Persian to transmit its mail bags to Russia as the border areas were in turmoil
and the security low.

The Russian bulldog policy together with the British “unfriendly” attitude had
immense economic, social, and psychological effects on the Persians and their
understanding of the world at large. The two powers were luckily for Persia also at
loggerheads but change for the worse was looming.

Part I. 1850s-1905. Persia Opens up Part II. 1906–1925. Constitutional
problems, revolutionary times, WWI
I.A.1 Pre-UPU (P. joined GPU/UPU in Sept 1877
and its consequences
I.A.2 GPU/UPU. Persia joined GPU/UPU in Sept 1877.
Julfa 1 st official EPO with Russia I.D Russia strengthens its influence

- Postal Agreements between Russia & Persia II. 1914–1918. The Great War. WWI
- war activities. Russian Consular PO opened
I.A.3 UPU Parcel Post Agreement in 1903 as well as field post offices
- Russia and Persia for parcels 1904
III. 1918–1921 Oil Nationalism & Socialism
I.A.4 Russian ship mail Baku - Persia struggle for an independent “socialist” Iran
ship mail between Russia and Persia on the ISSR.(Gilan, province). Betrayed by Lenin!
Caspian Sea including 1897 Baku - the Persian Consular Post Office in Baku
I.B. Disinfected Persian mail by Russia
- Gaudan (NE Persia) and Baku IV. 1921–1925 Consolidation
-I.C. Diplomacy, trade and commerce - the rise of Reza Khan(Shah Pahlavi in 1926)

The exhibit will show in the first part examples of the various postal services that
Persia could use via the EPOs with Russia and how Russian influence affected
the early development of Persian mail service. See table. The second part deals
with the consequences of the constitutional changes, democratic reforms,
revolutions, WWI and foreign invasions, rebellions, etc.
Due to the limitation of 108 pages here at the Royal it is regretted that the full
picture cannot be presented. The exhibitor will show a more complete picture of
all the various aspects as above on 6 of October at the BSRP in London. Pls get
th
in contact with BSRP if you wish to attend.
References in short: S.D. Tchillinghirian; L. Ratner. St Petersburg (in Russian only);
Giorgio Migliavacchi; H. Weinert; Imperial War Museum, UK, in 1987 published
”Operations in Persia 1914-1919; A. Epstein; B. Sohrne, “Russia’s postal presence and
relationships with Persia till the 1920’s” in AEPs OPUS 2012 p. 166-197; IPSC &
ROSSICA(US) & GBRJ bulletins. F Mossavar-Rahmani & B Sohrne, An iBook. Illustrated
postmarks of Iran 1876 – 1924. Contains a wealth of PH-related information; B Nassre, USA.