More than a century and a half ago, the assassination of Russian diplomat Aleksander Griboyedov in Tehran exposed a historical truth: Russia-Iran relations have always been a blend of hostility and pragmatic calculation.
In 1829, Russian ambassador Griboyedov was killed by an angry mob that stormed the embassy in Tehran. The incident occurred after he refused Shah Fath-Ali's demand to hand over Armenian refugees—including a eunuch in charge of the royal treasury and two women from the harem—who were sheltering at the Russian embassy. These individuals sought to migrate to territory under Russian control in modern-day Armenia, as permitted by the recently signed Treaty of Turkmenchay, which allowed Russian subjects and Christians to migrate to Russian-controlled areas. Griboyedov's act of protecting the refugees touched both political and religious sensitivities in Persia.
Tens of thousands of enraged Persians stormed the embassy on February 11, 1829, killing Griboyedov along with dozens of diplomats and Cossack guards in his escort. However, the root causes of the anti-Russian riot ran deeper.
The Tsarist government had long viewed Griboyedov—a talented diplomat and versatile artist who composed waltzes, poetry, and the famous play "Woe from Wit"—as an ideal figure. He embodied the empire's ambition to expand influence and control over the neighboring Caucasus region, always in conflict of interest with Iran's Qajar dynasty.
This historical backdrop of tension raises questions about the sustainability of the current Russia-Iran alliance. Although the two countries now share a common adversary (the U.S. and the West) and cooperate in areas such as energy and military, mistrust and divergent interests still simmer—from the Ukraine war to interests in Syria and the Gulf. Whether an alliance based on pragmatism and expediency can overcome this long legacy of conflict remains a question debated by diplomatic analysts.
