“The Persians Themselves Will Not Do Anything to Raise the Region”: Consul K. V. Ivanov on The Problems and Prospects of Russian Resettlement and Land Ownership in the Caspian Provinces of Iran (Early 20th Century)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the views of the Russian consul in Astarabad K. V. Ivanov on the issues of Russian peasant resettlement and Russian land ownership in northeastern Iran on the eve and during the First World War. Already in the first decade of the 20th century, Russian peasants were drawn to the region in search of a new life. Starting spontaneously, this process soon attracted the attention of both Russian representatives in this country and the Foreign Ministry. At the same time, a large Russian land ownership in Persia began to arise. These issues directly affected the field of consul Ivanov's official activities and were the subject of his reflections and discussions with higher authorities. The article presents the consul's views on the subject, the proposed program of action to stimulate resettlement and assistance to settlers, as they appear in various sources, mainly in diplomatic correspondence. These issues have received insufficient coverage in historiography, and therefore require careful study.