File 3516/1914 Pt 7 'German War: Persia' [‎119v] (243/519)

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We should state the following requirements after pointing out what the
■Rnhhtiaris may -ain by peaceful co-operation with Sheikh and us and what
S stand to loTe by joining in hostilities against us. They must dec me to
rise a-ainst ns and must do all in their power to discourage generally and
must vigorously suppress it within their tribal territory. They must secure
Tn escort at Ispahan itself where their representative must protect all subject
of Great Britain and her allies on the Ahwaz-Ispahan road and m sphere
of Oil Company and maintain order internally and must maintain up to
Bars boundary security of telegraph line (s) and road. ^
They must arrive at a permanent friendly understanding with the Sheikh
of Mohammerah and give him all the co-operation m Arabistan that is neces
sary by maintaining peace on border and by refusing to harbour refugees from
his territory At Behbehan their representative must maintain order there and
in the same manner suppress fanaticism and refrain from interfering at all
with the Sheikh of Mobammerah’s tribes m that neighbourhood or with Lirawi.
Any Bakhtiari being a provincial Governor in Southern Persia on^the outbreak
of hostilities must do his utmost to suppress fanaticism and keep Bakhtiari
quiet and neutral and to protect British intersts and subjects. We should m
return for this, undertake to preserve at the conclusion of the war Bakhtiari
country with its present limits for tribe and give Khans local autonomy to deal
in their own way under our aigis with their own tribesmen. We should agree
to keen under our guidance Bakhtiari Governorship at Ispahan and be prepared
to consider among others Bakhtiari candidates for other Governors m sphere
under our control. Later on we should be prepared to consider sympathetically
any workable proposal that they may put forward for obtaining access to
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. P^rts. We would pay each branch £5,000 now and at conclusion
of hostilities £10,000 each, provided they fulfil effectively their part of the
bargain on receiving undertaking to the effect required from recognised
representatives of two families.
) 18
Telegram P., No. 1083 B , dated (and received) the 11th May 1915.
Prom The IIon'ble Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.,
Political .Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Basrah,
To— The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla (repeated to Tehran, Bushire and Secretary of State).
Please refer to the telegram from His Britannic Majesty’s Minister to
the Poreign Office, London, dated 8th instant, No. 161.
Por the Bushire hinterland I would make the following suggestions:—
Wb have in our favour Khans of Budhilleh, Lirawi, Hayat, Baud and
probably Shabancara, while Borasjun, Ahmedi and Tangistan and probably
Haliki are hostile. Borasjun is likely to succeed in getting Daliki to join him
though the Agent of Nizam-us-Sultaneh at Mohammerah has been doing his
best to persuade Daliki to stand out.
If Soulet and Kawam stand in with us, the Khans in (outlying) country
will, more or less, be cut off from telegraph (communication) from Tehran. In
this way effective combination for attack on Bushire will be difficult, but they
may be expected to divert their attention to Haidar Khan, our friend, who
helped us in arresting Germans.
In order to secure the active co-operation of members of friendly elements
in suppressing any fanatical movement and in opposing hostile confederation
if rising takes shape and in order to keep them together, the following
inducements should be offered in anticipation (of) successful issue to war.
We should undertake to detach Lirawi from Behbehan and associate it with
Hayat Baud under Bushire. We should also assist Khans to buy out Saiyid-
us-Sultaneh’s interest in district. We should undertake ejectment from