Mohammad Mansouri Moghaddam

The relations between England and Iran during the Safavid period were predominantly shaped by economic and commercial considerations. However, these interactions did not emerge in an intellectual vacuum; rather, they were influenced by the cognitive frameworks and preconceived perceptions of English foreign policy decision-makers. The central question of this study concerns the nature of English perceptions and representations of Safavid Iran and their impact on bilateral relations. The working hypothesis suggests that although political and economic interactions were formed within the context of geopolitical and commercial necessities—particularly in response to rivalry with the Ottoman Empire and the disruption of eastern trade routes—English attitudes toward Safavid Iran were informed by an Orientalist perspective characterized by European self-superiority, portraying Iran and its society as uncivilized and backward. This research adopts a descriptive-analytical method and relies on library-based data collection. By examining archival documents, correspondences, reports, and travel accounts from the Safavid era—especially materials preserved in the British Library—the study analyzes the cognitive patterns underlying English representations of Iran. The findings indicate that although economic interests, particularly those associated with the activities of the British East India Company, constituted the primary foundation of bilateral engagement, Orientalist mental frameworks significantly shaped the interpretation and conduct of relations. Consequently, England’s policy toward Safavid Iran can be understood as the simultaneous product of geopolitical imperatives and Orientalist representations.