North provinces of Iran in the history of russian frontier in the Caspian region

Abstract

The aim of the article is to prove the applying of the frontier theory in the study of processes of intercultural communications of peoples not only in the north but also in the southern part of the Caspian Sea region, i.e. the expansion of its geographical scope. The main task is to confirm, using the analysis of specific historical facts, the hypothesis that the northern provinces of Iran is an important and integral part of the vast Russian frontier zone in the Caspian region. Traditional approach in studying of Caspian regional history leaves outside of research many facts of economic, political, social and cultural character, testifying that Caspian provinces of Iran became, as well as Lower Volga region a peculiar contact zone of two people. Largely because of this and today it is the main outpost of Russia and Iran relations. Such aspect of researches of the northern provinces of Iran remains unstudied both in domestic, and in a foreign historiography. This is largely explained by the fact that scientists have paid attention to the north of Iran only in line with the general history of Russian-Iranian relations, or in the context of the global confrontation between Russia and England for influence in the Middle East. But the frontier theory allows to see the picture of cross-cultural interaction which developed on different coasts of the Caspian Sea in all variety.