What Rivkin refers to, is the famous report of the Russian ambassador to Persia, Prince Andrey Zvenigorodsky, to Tsar Fedor Ivanovich. This is dated 1593.
Shah Abbas showed Prince Andrey his treasures " helmets and head covers, and bulat (damascus) armour inlaid with gold, and plated armour" and said "this is what is made in our Empire, but the most excellent and beautiful bulat comes to us from India and the best armour - from Circassia".
In 1615, Circassian ( Kabardinian ) Prince Mudar Alkasov went to Shah Abbas' court and took with him as a present 5 Kabarda horses and chainmail.
Sounds clear to me, too: even Shah Abbas himself valued Indian swords higher than Persian ones and also preferred Circassian ( not locally produced) armour.
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