The author argues that Western poetics manifests itself in the poetic theories of Akhundzadeh and Kermani. The theoretical writings of these two thinkers on the nature of poetry, literature, and literary criticism, although written outside Iran and in two literary centers, the Caucasus and Istanbul, have played an undeniable role in the formation of contemporary Iranian literary theory. Akhundzadeh’s familiarity with theater, especially modern Western theater, has influenced his poetics and literary thoughts, to the extent that, for example, in the article “Kritika,” the boundary between criticism and drama has become blurred; on the one hand, drama has been viewed as equivalent to Kritika or criticism, and on the other hand, the function or aim of Kritika and drama has been considered moral edification. Kermani’s work bears traces of both indigenous classical and Western poetics; his language, expression, and discourse are multifaceted. For example, in a part of the series of articles “The Art of Speaking and Writing,” he uses the unfamiliar term “discourse” and, in explanation, points to features that classical indigenous rhetoric places under “akhdh bi al-wujūh.” Overall, the most prominent features of the poetics of Akhundzadeh and Mirza Aqa Khan are as follows: 1- a functionalist view of literature, 2- a tendency toward literary realism, especially European realist literature, 3- engagement in practical criticism of literary works, especially literary works of the day, 4- viewing Iranian literature from the perspective of Western poetics, and 5- comparative poetics suited to the intellectual climate of Iranian constitutionalism.