Construction of Telegraph and Postal Lines in Transcaspian Region and Adjacent Areas of Persia at Turn of Nineteenth to Twentieth Centuries

Bibliographic Data

ID22040080
AuthorsSaken Zh Toktamysov (0000-0003-4284-9638, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia)
Year2026
Volume15
Issue2
Pages516-533
Publication date2026-03-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNauchnyi Dialog (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2225-756X • E-ISSN: 2227-1295
PublisherOOO Centr naucnyh i obrazovatelnyh proektov (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.24224/2227-1295-2026-15-2-516-533
OpenAlexW7135035966
LanguageEN
References cited13

This article examines the history of constructing telegraph and postal lines across the territory of the Transcaspian region and its north-eastern border areas with Persia during Russia's late imperial period. The primary sources for this study are unpublished documents from two central archives: the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire and the Russian State Historical Archive. These materials provide insights into internal bureaucratic discussions among Russian officials as well as diplomatic negotiations between Russian representatives and Persian authorities regarding technical aspects such as route planning, line length, and financial considerations related to these telecommunication projects. It is concluded that there was a close interconnection between the establishment of mail-telegraph infrastructure and transportation networks in the South Caspian region. The importance of communication development in facilitating bilateral export-import operations with northeastern Persia is highlighted. Some proposed postal initiatives linking the Transcaspian area and Persia were not implemented. Ultimately, it is argued that an integrated Russian-Persian infrastructural framework emerged by the turn of the nineteenth century, which played a significant role in enhancing bilateral trade-economic relations and consolidating Russian influence within Persia

Bureaucracy · Empire · Negotiation · Persian · Telegraphy · Islamic Studies and History · Security, Politics, and Digital Transformation · Soviet and Russian History

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