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23.08.2005
The History of the First Russian Embassy in Iran |
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| Michel Elbaz, AIA general coordinator | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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All the Secrets of the Russian Embassy in Iran (1828 - 2005) * Why Persians lynched the classical Russian author? * The Russian plan for the conquest of Iran * Establishment of the Russian agent net in Teheran At the beginning of the XIX century, as a result of its military actions, Russia gained large areas of Persian territory in Caucasus. Then the diplomatic contacts between the two countries became frequent, and in 1817 a large Russian delegation arrived in Tehran. It was headed by
Before Yermolov's departure from Russia, he received precise instructions from the Imperial office and Collegium of Foreign Affairs. Especially emphasized among his tasks was the creation of conditions for lowering and subsequently eliminating the British influence in Persia. In addition, the chief negotiator was to arrange the opening of a continuing diplomatic Russian mission in Tehran, and of consular and trade missions in northern areas of Persia. He also was instructed to collect data on the political situation in the country and on the condition of the Persian army. Yermolov stayed in the Shah's domain for four months, successfully fulfilling almost all of these assignments. For some time before his trip to Persia, the Russian interests there were represented by the special Russian envoy in Tabriz, a city in the northwest of modern Iran. At the end of Yermolov's mission, Venetian, who served in the Russian Foreign Policy Department, occupied this post. His residence was also in Tabriz. Only in 1828, with the assignment of a new ambassador, was the Russian embassy opened in Shah's capital, Tehran. The Forgotten Page While scrolling down the history of the Russian embassy in Tehran, one may find many names of known diplomats, military commanders and masters of espionage. A special place among them is reserved for the classic Russian writer Alexander Griboedov. His comedy, “ Woe from
Griboedov, who spoke four European languages fluently, began his diplomatic service in 1817 when he was appointed Secretary of the Russian representative in Tabriz. There he learned the Persian language and established close relations with the heir to the Shah. After four years, Griboedov came back home and was given the post of main diplomatic adviser to the governor of the Russian provinces in the Caucasus. In this post he carried out all major contacts with Turks and Persians on Caucasian issues, and played a key role in the preparation of the Russian-Persian peace treaty of 1828. In the same year the young promising diplomat was appointed the first head of the Russian embassy in Tehran. He saw his main tasks as spreading Russian influence on the political and commercial leadership of Persia, and also the neutralization of British influence there. Shortly before his departure to Tehran, Griboedov developed a detailed plan for Russian expansion in Persia. He suggested creating the Imperial Trading Company, which, with the support of the government, would subordinate this country to Russia economically. After his arrival in Tehran, Griboedov, using his old connection with the heir to the Shah, tried several times to impose on Persia certain actions directed against the British interests. Compelling Teheran to follow a route favorable to Russia, the new ambassador frequently blackmailed the Persian leader with threats of Russian military intervention. Such behavior had tragic consequences for Griboedov... The Retribution for Intervention From the moment of the opening the Russian embassy in Tehran, its employees tried to find people ready to cooperate with them among the local population. Representatives of Caucasian peoples, in particular members of the Armenian community, were ideally suited for this purpose. Many of them had relatives in the Caucasian areas of Russia, others had commercial interests there, and some planned to return to their historical native land in the future. Using all these motives, Russian emissaries enlisted Armenians as informants and agents of influence. Such practices are used even now, and during the Soviet era. Azerbaijanians, Turkmen, Kazakhs and ethnic Russians, who had settled in Persia after the revolution, were recruited by the same methods. The tradition of using national minorities living in Persia, but connected with Russia, increased under Griboedov. Since the first days in Tehran, he established close relations with influential representatives of the Armenian community. In exchange for their services, the
One of the most valuable informants for the Russian mission was the eunuch from the Shah's harem, an Armenian national. Even before the opening of the embassy he had supplied Russians with data on the situation in the ruling circles of Persia. Being already at an advanced age, the eunuch had decided to escape from Persia and to return home. Griboedov helped him, giving sanctuary within the embassy. At the same time, two young Georgian girls, who had run away from the harem of the Persian First Minister, also took shelter at the embassy (parenthetically, Griboedov's personal servant, Alexander, tried in every possible way to coerce one of these girls in to having intimate relations with him). Such actions by the Russian ambassador were considered an unprecedented insult to all the Persian nobility and to the government. At an entrance of the embassy a huge crowd of people gathered demanding to return the Armenian eunuch and Georgian girls. However, feeling backed up by all the military power of the Russian empire, Griboedov must have considered himself the true owner of Tehran. Otherwise it is impossible to explain his order to the ambassadorial security guards to open fire on the crowd. After the first volley the furious Persians stormed the embassy. The building was destroyed, and only two of its inhabitants survived. The official representatives of the Shah could not identify the mutilated body of the first Russian ambassador to Teheran for a long.time. Presently a bronze statue Alexander Griboedov sits alone on a low pedestal in the park of the Russian embassy in Iran. Almost century after the erection of this monument, it serves as a silent reminder of the imperious attitudes and serious miscalculations of the Russian Eastward policy. Read in the next part: Why was the Soviet ambassador killed? What was doing an American President in the Russian embassy? How Iranians reacted to bombardment of Tehran by the Soviet rockets? Previous article: All the Secrets of the Russian Embassy in Iran (1828 - 2005)
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