Factors Influencing the Ineffectiveness of Diplomacy and the Challenges of Iran’s Foreign Relations during the Qajar Era (From the Beginning to the End of Mohammad Shah Qajar’s Reign)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the causes and factors contributing to the failure of Iranian diplomacy during the Qajar period, focusing on both internal and external mechanisms and processes from the reign of Agha Mohammad Khan to Mohammad Shah. The central problem of this research is to examine the reasons and dynamics behind the continuity of Iran’s diplomatic failures in confronting the extensive pressures and rivalries of colonial powers, particularly Britain and Russia. In this context, emphasis has been placed on the role of internal factors—such as weak administrative structures, corruption, the ignorance of statesmen, and the lack of adequate diplomatic training—as well as external factors, including unfair treaties, the penetration of colonial powers, and the absence of effective defensive capability against international threats.The main research question is how these factors, through their interaction, influenced Iran’s diplomatic processes and led to persistent weaknesses and repeated failures in safeguarding national interests. To address this question, the study analyzes historical documents, treaties, and diplomatic approaches, demonstrating that structural weaknesses and unprofessional decision-making overshadowed Iran’s diplomatic opportunities and facilitated colonial exploitation. This research contributes to identifying the elements that result in failure in foreign policy and underscores the necessity of structural reforms in the sphere of diplomacy.