ملاحظات أُعدت كمرجع خلال جولة كرزون في الخليج الفارسي، وأوراق أخرى عن بلاد فارس والخليج الفارسي [و‎‎٢‎٣‎٢] (٦٧٨/٤٦٣)

[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
NO. 7 . PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY.
ASIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[December 28.]
Section 3.
2528
No. 1.
Sir M. Durand to the Marquess of Salisbury.—{Received December 28.)
(No. 66.)
My Lord, Tehran, November 26, 1896.
SINCE the sudden removal of the Sadr Azam from office on the 24th November
I have been so constantly occupied with visits to the Shah and others that I have
had no time to write a despatch on the situation. I therefore asked Captain
Sykes, who was acquainted with the state of affairs and with the persons chiefly
concerned, to let me have a Memorandum on the subject for transmission to your
Lordship.
I have now the honour to inclose this Memorandum, which gives a substantially
correct account of what has occurred.
I have, &c.
(Signed) H. M. DUKAND.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum on the Change of Ministry in Persia.
BEEOBE proceeding to describe the actual facts that are now taking place, a short
reference to the causes which have led up to this apparently sudden crisis may not be
out of place.
At the time of the Shah’s death, aided by the unanimity of both the Russian and
English Legations, the Sadr Azam was able, not only to forestall any pretender to
the Throne, but also to prevent any serious disorders in the provinces adjacent to the
capital.
In consequence the new Shah, upon his arrival at Tehran, leaned so entirely upon
his Premier’s advice, that that official became more and more arrogant, and conse
quently unpopular, as, instead of gaining adherents among the Shah’s retinue, he
refused to distribute any of the important offices among them, insisting upon the
paramount necessity of keeping everything in his own hands, no one else being, in his
opinion, sufficiently capable or trustworthy.
The foremost personage who came under this category was his Highness the
Earman Earma, who is, at once, the son-in-law and the brother-in-law of the Shah.
He happened to be at Kerman when the news of the assassination was received;
and, although his province was quiet, the Sadr Azam tried every expedient to keep
him away from Tehran, and when he finally arrived, treated him very coldly
and removed him from his Governorship, which was given to the Na'ib-i-Sultaneh.
These acts provoked the Earman Earma, who aspired to the post of War Minister,
which high office is generally held by a member of the Royal Family; so that, from
being an adherent of the Sadr Azam’s party, he threw in his lot with the other
malcontents, whose leader he became.
During the summer and autumn the Shah’s mind was constantly being poisoned
against his Chief Minister, even the depreciation of silver being laid to his charge.
The latter did not realize his position, and, although most seriously warned on
more than one occasion by Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister, he declared that, even if
he resigned, he would return to office with greater power than before.
Secure in his fancied inassailable position, he insisted that the Shah should sign
all State papers put before him without demur; while, as for his enemies, he declared
even a few days before his fall that they were utterly weak and beneath contempt.
[1626 r—3]