File 1110/1916 Pt 3 'German War: Persia' [‎65r] (134/354)

175
Teleoram P„ No. 429 F., dated (and received) 5tli July 1916.
Prom—His Britannic Majesty^s Minister, Tehran, ^
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla.
My telegram No. 400 and telegram No. 1048 from
have considerable numerical superiority and thougn
Clear the line.
Petrograd. Turks nave eunsiuciauio r -„ £
Russians appear to be making stand at Kangavar it is possible for them
opinion of Military Attache to reach Hamadan in three or tour days.
Manager, Imperial Bank of Persia at Hamadan, has been warned to
make preparations to leave by Russian General.
Probability of Turks being very shortly in possession of Hamadan,
•whence thev command communications between Russia and lehran nas,
therefore, to"be considered. According to Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs,
no adequate reinforcements can be sent, nor, according to priva e in orm
ation received from Lake by Military Attache, can Lake make a diversion
from Mesopotamia. Hence should Turks make Tehran their objective there is
no force to oppose them.
Tehran is politically indispensible to Persia and it seems necessary to take
such local measures as are possible to save it falling into hands of lurks, see
ing that no outside assistance is to be hoped for. Persian Government stilt
has considerable moral influence though it has, of course, no military resources
It is imperative in the opinion both of Russian Minister and myself to enlist
that influence on our side by means of an alliance. Present Cabinet
is I believe, ready to, conclude alliance on. very simple terms such as
promise of subsidy and of some nominal share m Government of Holy Places
in Mesopotamia. Alliance would secure to us, I believe, loyalty of Bakhtiaiis
which might enable us to retain some hold of Southern Persia and would m
it nossible for us to harry Turkish Lines of Communication. Though this result
is not very great but the other side of the picture would be the instalment ot
democrat Cabinet in Tehran in which case almost all Persia would be actively
hostile—a complete debacle in fact. , v n m i
It is thus imperative in our opinion that every endeavour to bold Tehran
should be made.
During the last few days whole political situation has been turned upside
down by Russia’s enforced an ^ ,^ e must “°^ p ta ^ e D a ” y
step to hold up situation until Indian Expeditionary Eoice D can move
forward in autumn or Russians, are sufficiently reinforced if the political.
situation is to be retrieved.
Addressed. Poreign Office sent Petrograd.
176
Telegram P., No. 1398, dated the 4th (received 5th) July 1916..
From-The Deputy Political Kesideut in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Busbire
To-The Secretary to the Government of India in the Fore.gn and Political Depart-
ment, Simla (repeated to Basrah).
I have received two further draft telegrams from O’Connor with request
that they be despatched to Minister, since receipt of Cox s telegram 3077 a
your 323 S eP g^Christmas are in feeble health some
are furnished except that ommi an . 11,1 0 p prn pa to
controversial and incorrect statements however are " , telegraphic
me therefore unnecessary to telegraph them on, m view ot recent telegraphic
Correspondence, copies have, however, been posted to you You ^ -
received Azzopardy’s later report sent with my telegram 1374 as icgards health,
of party.