▁sever ed ▁by ▁the ▁superior ▁Russian ▁force ▁of ▁Russia ▁through ▁these ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁wars . ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁Ar as , ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁contemporary ▁republic ▁of ▁A zer ba ij an , ▁eastern ▁Georgia , ▁D ag est an , ▁and ▁Armen ia , ▁were ▁Iran ian ▁territory ▁until ▁they ▁were ▁occupied ▁by ▁Russia ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Through ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁Iran ▁lost ▁to ▁Russia ▁regions ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁part ▁Iran ▁for ▁centuries . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁the ▁border ▁between ▁Iran ▁and ▁Russia ▁was ▁set ▁more ▁south wards , ▁at ▁the ▁Ar as ▁River , ▁which ▁is ▁currently ▁the ▁border ▁between ▁Iran ▁and ▁Armen ia ▁– ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁ ▁Sub sequently , ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁were ▁very ▁influ ential ▁in ▁Northern ▁Iran ▁including ▁A zer ba ij an ▁( as ▁Northern ▁Iran ▁fell ▁into ▁Russia ' s ▁sphere ▁of ▁influence ▁for ▁dec ades ). ▁After ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁the ▁represent atives ▁of ▁A zer ba ij an ▁were ▁very ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁Constitution al ▁Revolution ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁to ▁this ▁Russian ▁influence . ▁ ▁Contempor ary ▁age ▁ ▁The ▁Russian ▁( T s ar ist ) ▁army ▁occupied ▁Iran ian ▁A zer ba ij an ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 –