'Situation in Persia, Vol. I' [99r] (198/353)
The record is made up of 1 item (174 folios). It was created in 20 Sep 1917-19 Mar 1918. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
From:- General Duneterville.
To :-C.I.G.S. Repeated Baghdad.
Despatched 2 p*m. 27*2.18,
Received 5.30 p.m. 28.2.18.
36 D. Feb. 26th.
The situation*of Russian volunteer force in Persia
does not appear to be thoroughly understood. There are
about 200 at Hamadan about 100 at Kasvin and at Enzeli 100.
Latter are virtually prisoners of ?Bolsheviks,
It*-*-
This force has been ordered by Tiflis (? group omitted) line
Kasvin-Enzeli .
They cannot do this as Bolsheviks are stronger than
. iy ltfk fCUr CL-^lau tu **}
they are and oppose their organisation (2 groups undeciphe* 1 -
abl'e) Jangalis who desire to evacuate all Europeans from
Persia. Thus unless supported by British troops volunteer
force cannot remain in Persia and they cannot return to
Russia as Enzeli is In hands of the Bolsheviks whose bitter
hostility they have incurred by loyalty to allied cause.
About this item
- Content
This item contains material relating to a review of conditions in Persia [Iran], following the revelation of Turkish plans to invade Persia in order to reach Afghanistan, which would in turn have threatened the British Empire in India. It includes:
- The policies to secure the cooperation of the Persian Government, as well as Isma’il Khan Qashqa’i Sawlat al-Dawlah, Ibrahim Khan Qavam al-Mulk Shirazi, and ‘Abd al-Husayn Mirza Farmanfarma
- The proposals to secure the recognition of the South Persia Rifles by the Persian Government
- The receipt and dissemination of intelligence about Persia relayed to Britain and India
- The maintenance of communications with the Caucasus through the Kermanshah-Enzeli [Anzali] Road
- The capture of Prince Sulayman Mirza Iskandari of the Firqah-yi Democrat [Democratic Party]
- The prevention of Ottoman and German intelligence operatives from crossing into western Persia
- The resignation of the Commander of the Persian Cossack Brigade, Colonel Georgii Josifovich Klerzhe
- A message from Mirza Kuchak Khan's Jangali Movement that the passage of British officers led by General Lionel Dunsterville through Persia to Tiflis [Tblisi] would be 'contrary to the independence of Persia, [and] they will consider themselves justified in taking any measures to frustrate it'
- The protection of the Kermanshah-Hamadan and Shiraz-Isfahan roads and the British Legation in Tehran
- The circulation of anti-British Jangali telegrams condemning the arrest of Sulayman Mirza Iskandari
- The threat of a combined force of Jangalis and Bolsheviks reportedly marching on Kasvin [Qazvin]
- The provision of support to General Dunsterville through seizing the Qasr-i Shirin-Kermanshah Road
- The discussion of 'sweep operations' between Mirza Kuchak Khan and the Anzali Bolshevik Committee
- The consultations between Commander-in-Chief, India and the head of the South Persia Rifles, Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes
- The plans for controlling the road extending from the Ottoman frontier to Northeast Persia
- The zone of operations allocated to the Commander-in-Chief of British forces in Mesopotamia, General William Raine Marshall, and his relations with the British Minister at Tehran, Charles Marling
- The position and action to be taken by General Dunsterville after General Marshall's operations
- And the proposal of Sykes (relayed by Commander-in-Chief, India General Charles Carmichael Monro) for Indian troops to advance to Isfahan, where they were to form an additional brigade of the South Persia Rifles.
Also included are the following:
- 'A Sketch Map of Persia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. '', showing the Khanikin [Khanaqin]-Hamadan Road
- 'A Skeleton Map of Persia', showing the three Chains for the Receipt and Dissemination of Intelligence about Persia
- 'A Skeleton Map of Persia', showing three Possible Routes for the Advance of Turkish Forces through Persia to Afghanistan.
- Extent and format
- 1 item (174 folios)
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Situation in Persia, Vol. I' [99r] (198/353), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/803, ff 1-174, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100118971945.0x0000c7> [accessed 26 August 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/803, ff 1-174
- Title
- 'Situation in Persia, Vol. I'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:8v, 9ar, 9r:117v, 118ar, 118r:134v, 135ar, 135r, 135av, 135v:173v, 174ar, 174r:174v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence
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