'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎50v] (105/610)

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During 1917-18 it suffered frightfully from famine and sick
ness. Ruined houses in every village attest the decrease of
population, and the province is much less prosperous than for
merly.
Kazvln.
Kazvin is strategically and commercially important owing
to its geographical position as the meeting place of the main
roads of Northern Persia and the gate of Tehran, but it has
experienced few vicissitudes.
With the exception of Amir Nusrat, of the Inanlu tribe
in the South, it does not contain a powerful personality and
the rest of the province, except for occasional agrarian troubles
in Alamut, is peaceful and law abiding, and obedient to the
Tehran Government.
The town of Kazvin is apathetic and welcomes all comers.
In 1909 Yeprim with 250 ‘ Mujahidin,’ the advance party of the
revolutionary army from Rasht, made a surprise attack on
Government house, killed the Governor and occupied the town.
By July 1,200 Russian troops had arrived from Enzali to
watch events and if expedient to move on to Tehran.
The strength of the Russian 1 garrison varied from time
to time but it was never withdrawn until the Russian evacua
tion of Northern Persia in 1917-18 subsequent to the Russian
revolution, when after a short interval British troops took their
place. During this interval the Jangalis conducted active
propaganda, and had they advanced from Gilan in January
or February Kazvin and Tehran might perhaps have fallen
into their hands.
General Dunsterville’s party from Baghdad passed through
Kazvin in their attempt to reach Baku in February 1918, but
were prevented by the Bolsheviks and Jangalis from going
beyond Enzali, and a few days later returned to Hamadan. The
Jangali opportunity of occupying Kazvin -was terminated by
the arrival of Bicherakofi’s column from Hamadan in March,
and in June the headquarters of Dunsterforce also moved from
Hamadan to Kazvin.
1 It was reduced in 1009, increased in 1911 at the time of the Russian ulti
matum to Persia, and in 1915, when Russian troops arrived to operate against
the Turks along the Kirmanshah-Baghdad road.