Iranians of Istanbul

During the Qajar era, Istanbul was one of the main centers of modernization and reform for Iranians. Especially in the era of constitutionalism, this city served as a second home for Iranian liberals and reformists. Safe and away from the oppression of the Iranian government, many merchants, businessmen, journalists, and liberals sought refuge in Istanbul and supported the freedom movement in Iran in various material and spiritual forms by establishing associations such as the Iranian Istanbul Saadat Association, the Iranian Istanbul Charity Association, and the Brothers Association, as well as founding and running Persian-language newspapers like Akhtar, Shams, Soroush, and Khavar. This work attempts to shed light on these efforts through seven essays. Among them, one essay addresses the concerns of Ottoman modernists about Iranian issues, particularly the occupation of Tabriz by the Russians. This essay demonstrates that during the constitutionalist era, reformists from both countries, regardless of religious and geographical boundaries, united in a common front against despotism to achieve shared human ideals.