'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎26v] (57/610)

40
Effects of
Russian
revolution.
insurrectionary Government of the West established by Nizam-
us-Sultaneh.
By the end of September 1916 the situation was sufficiently
stabilized to admit of the return of the European colony from
Enzali to Tehran, but the Turkish menace was not entirely
removed until the British capture of Baghdad in March 1917.
The effects in Persia of the capture of Baghdad were, however,
immediately counteracted by the Russian revolution, which
had a great effect on the British position in Persia, and is a
turning 1 * point in Anglo-Persian relations. It caused the
disappearance for the time being of Russia as a political factor
in Persia, and left Great Britain without a rival in the whole
country, North as well as South. The Persian Democrats
began to hope for assistance from a regenerated Russian democ
racy, and Great Britain from being regarded by the Persians
as helpful and progressive, as compared with Russia, now found
herself in the position of the reactionary.
For the moment the military situation was weak. Opera
tions in Northern Persia had been undertaken by the Russian
forces, whose advent had saved the situation at the end of 1915,
and this task must now devolve on Great Britain,whose nearest
troops -were far away in Mesopotamia,
Tehran politics had been most sensitive to the mili tary
position of the movement. When this was adverse to allied
prestige and the Turks and Germans appeared ascendant, the
combined Anglo-Russian influence in Tehran was not able to
maintain their friends in power. It was, however, strong enough
to prevent the formation of a pronouncedly anti-ally Govern
ment, and weak and colourless Cabinets with democratic leanings
resulted, which were either quite ineffective or mildly obstruc
tive to the Allies, and so afforded license to the intrigues of their
enemies.
A^« an Moreover, although since the spring of 1915 when Sir C.
Persia and' Marling and M. de Etter, who were personal friends, arrived
^olitlcs^Qis 3 *! ° aS anc l Russian Ministers in Tehran, all discord between
0 c the two Legations had ceased, the Persians generally were
convinced that sincere Anglo-Russian co-operation was impos
sible, and their respective partizans still continued their intrigues.
The relative position of the two powers at the moment accord-
1 C./., 1906 when Great Britain achieved sudden popularity by her suppopt
of the Constitutional movement, 1907 when her popularity declined as a result
of the Convention she concluded with Russia, and 1911 when her failure to support
Persia against the Russian ultimatums dealt it a more serious blow.