St Petersburg University scholars win Ibn Sina Foundation grants

In the category "Publishing Projects", the grant was awarded to Associate Professor Olga Trofimenko, Acting Head of the Department of World Economy at St Petersburg University. She supervised the publication of the collective monograph titled "Trade and Economic Partnership between Russia and Iran under Sanctions: Opportunities, Challenges, and Prospects". The book is co-authored by economists and political scientists from St Petersburg University, along with scholars from the University of Tehran. It is intended for specialists in international relations and economics, as well as for anyone interested in sanctions policy and the development of Iran-Russia cooperation.

The monograph was produced within the framework of the project "JFS UT 2023: Prospects for Economic Cooperation between Russia and Iran in the Emerging Multipolar World: Opportunities and Limitations".

The monograph is a comprehensive study that analyses trade and economic relations between Russia and Iran within the context of current geopolitical realities. It explores the historical aspects of interactions between the two countries from the 16th to the early 20th century, tracing the evolution of their foreign policies and economic relations. 

The authors analyse the sanctions regime imposed on Iran and its impact on the country’s economic resilience, focusing on both historical and contemporary trends. Particular attention is given to the economic sanctions against Russia in the context of its membership in the World Trade Organisation, highlighting the correlations between international restrictions and trade relations. The monograph reviews the special economic zones of the Astrakhan Region, where the interests of Russia, Iran, and China intersect. It analyses changes in tariff protection and the expected effects of liberalising Iran’s trade with the Eurasian Economic Union. 

Additionally, the monograph explores the unique features of Islamic economy and finance, using Iran as an example to illustrate the distinctive characteristics and mechanisms of this system. 

The monograph also examines the transformation of the payment systems of Russia and Iran in response to external geopolitical challenges. It explores the experience of the Iranian stock exchange in overcoming sanctions. According to the authors, these aspects provide a deeper understanding of how financial and economic institutions adapt to modern challenges and seek new avenues for development.

Another winner in the "Publishing Projects" category is Aleksandr Andriushkin, a writer, translator, member of the Union of Writers of Russia, and a graduate of Leningrad State University. Aleksandr Andryushkin translated a collection of short stories by contemporary Iranian authors into Russian, titled The Soul Has No Veil. This translation is a result of a joint Russian-Iranian cultural project implemented by the Centre for the Study of the Islamic Republic of Iran at St Petersburg University and the University of Tehran.

In the "Research Projects" category, the grant was awarded to Daria Martynova, Assistant Professor in the Department of the History of Russian Art at St Petersburg University. Her research project, titled "Persepolis and Safavid Persia in European Graphic Arts of the 17th-18th Centuries", focuses on analysing the reception of Persian culture and art. 

According to the art historian Daria Martynova, European envoys and travellers were drawn to Persia by their fascination with exotic oriental cultures. Persepolis, in particular, sparked great interest due to the mystery surrounding its monuments and the inability to decipher the cuneiform writing and some of its narratives. The desire to understand and accurately depict these understudied ancient sites inspired a competition among travellers and researchers. Each sought to present the monuments in the most "credible" way, often denouncing the efforts of their predecessors. Credibility was determined by the accuracy of sketches. Travellers would bring artists with them, consult locals, measure the monuments and landscape, and publish detailed reports and drawings to assert that their notes and images were the most accurate. 

In her research, Daria Martynova deciphers and analyses the works of Jean Chardin (1643-1713), Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716), Cornelis de Bruijn (1652-1726/7), and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689). As an outcome of the project, Daria Martynova plans to publish a book dedicated to the image of the East in world art. 

Daria Martynova thanked the Ibn Sina Foundation for supporting her research and mentioned that she had previously participated in the Foundation’s professional development programme "Islamic Art". She said, "Since 2023, I have been studying Persia’s relations with China and translating the works of European travellers and artists from the court of the Safavid dynasty. This topic still remains understudied in Russia. I plan to publish translations of French travellers" impressions of Persian cultural phenomena, as well as publish articles on the representation of Persepolis in European graphic arts, the reinterpretation of Persian court culture in European art, and the adaptation of Persian miniatures and ceramics in the art of Central and Western Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.’ 

Daria Martynova shared, "Even before learning that I had won the grant, a colleague and I had already begun translating Persian and French texts about narrative paintings used to enhance the storytelling in «pardeh khani» (a dramatic form of narrative storytelling in Iran). I believe that the Foundation’s support will accelerate the preparation of this important material."

A research grant was also awarded to the study titled "Persian Diplomatic Documents from the Times of Shah Abbas II from the Collection of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts". This research is conducted under the supervision of Artem Andreev, Director of the Centre for the Study of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Associate Professor in the Department of Ethnopolitology at St Petersburg University, along with Olga Yastrebova, Associate Professor in the Department of Persian Philology at St Petersburg University, and other experts.

The Ibn Sina Islamic Culture Research Foundation was established in 2007. It brings together representatives from academic and student communities who study various aspects of Islamic culture, science, and philosophy. The full list of winners of the 2025 grant competition is available here.