TEHRAN – A book containing the British consuls’ review of Iran economy during the 19th century has recently been published.

“The Economy of Iran in Documents from the 19th Century” has been authored by Ahmad Seyf, a course leader and lecturer in political economy at the New College of the Humanities in London.

Seyf has written the book based on reports prepared by a number of British consuls in various Iranian cities about the country’s economy during the 19th century.

The material in the book, published by Cheshmeh in Tehran, is rooted in the information gathered by Seyf from a large number of documents preserved in the archives of the Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Seyf has also said that the archives of Russia also have a similar amount of documents about Iran’s economy during the 19th century.

The British consuls worked in Iran’s major cities, gathering reports on the economic conditions of the cities during their missions. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office received the reports to deliver them to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.      

The book has reports on various Iranian regions, including Gilan, Azarbaijan, Persian Gulf, Kerman and Fars.

Seyf is also the writer of “The Economy of Iran under Mr. Ahmadinejad: Aghaye Ahmadinejad Va Eqtesad-e Iran”, “Political Economy, Made Simple: Eqtesad-e Siasi Khodemani”, “Iran’s Contemporary Political Economy” and several other informative books on the Iranian economy. 

Photo: Front cover of Iranian scholar Ahmad Seyf’s “The Economy of Iran in Documents from the 19th Century”.

MMS/YAW