Cooperation between the State and Ethnicities in pre-modern Iran; A case study of Goldsmid Treaties

The purpose of this article is to know the dominant form of the relationship between the state and Ethnicities in pre-modern Iran.The type of relationship between the State and Ethnicities in Iran is not a static concept and has undergone transformations under the influence of the evolution of State and power. hence, the main question of this article is about quiddity the relationship between the State and the Ethnicities in the mentioned period. It seams in pre-modern Iran, due to the scattered construction of power among the three forms of relationship between the State and the Ethnicities; Cooperation, competition and conflict The contribution of "cooperation" has been more prominent in the form of exchange of power resources between the central State and local power cores. In this article, the theory of political opportunity structure has been used as selected analytical framework to explain the dominant form of interaction between the State and Ethnicities. The cooperation and assistance of the Ethnicities with the State in the determination of Iran's borders has been examined and shown in the case of the Goldsmith Treaties. The method of this research is historical explanation.