§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any further information with regard to the state of affairs in Persia beyond what has appeared in the Press that he can communicate to the House?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)So far as I am aware, no change has taken place in the situation in Persia since my answer of Tuesday, I can only describe the situation as one of confusion and suspense.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked whether he could give the House any information as to the progress of affairs in Persia?
§ Sir E. GREYI beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer just given to the question asked by the hon. Member for St. Andrew's Division.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked whether the Constitutionalist force in Tabriz have been disarmed by the Russian troops of occupation and prevented from lending any assistance to the troops advancing upon Tehran from Kazvin and Isfahan?
§ Sir E. GREYI have no information to this effect.
§ Mr. HART-DAVIESasked whether he can state the terms demanded of the Shah by the leaders of the Constitutionalist forces in the neighbourhood of Tehran; and have these terms been communicated to His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir E. GREYThe terms demanded of the Shah by the Sipahdar, the leader of the force advancing from Kazvin, have been reported to His Majesty's Govern- 1397 ment by His Majesty's Minister at Tehran, and are as follows:—The Sipahdar himself, with the Sirdar Assad, the leader of the Bakhtiari force, to enter Tehran, each accompanied by 150 troops, to discuss the following points: The evacuation of Persian territory by the troops of neighbouring Powers; the choice of a Cabinet by the local assemblies until the meeting of Parliament; the expulsion from Persia of traitors and of persons whom the people distrust; the disarmament of those who, not belonging to the Army, have recently armed themselves; the complete control of the Army by the Minister of War; the dismissal of the Minister of Telegraphs; and the approval of provincial governors by the local assemblies.
§ Mr. HART-DAVIESCan the right hon. Gentleman say if the Bakhtiari tribe are included?
§ Sir E. GREYYes, apparently it includes both.
§ Mr. JOHN DILLONHave His Majesty's Government declared these demands to be unreasonable?
§ Sir E. GREYNo, Sir. As far as we are concerned there were only two of the demands to which we could possibly give any support.
§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYMay I ask if this request would only remove all cur Consular Guard?
§ Sir E. GREYI have given the terms as they are stated, but it is very difficult to say what the terms do mean or do not mean.
§ Mr. J. D. REESMay I ask whether these forces, consisting to a large extent, at any rate, of Caucasians, nomad tribes, and disorderly elements have any special title to be called Constitutional forces, as distinguished from those supporting the Shah's Government?
§ Mr. FLYNNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has official information to the effect that in reply to representations made to him by the Russian and British representatives, the Sipahdar, on behalf of the Nationalist Persian party, formulated certain demands, including the evacuation of Persian territory by Russian troops and the formation of a Liberal Cabinet; is he aware that leaders of the popular party have publicly claimed that they have scrupulously respected the lives and property of hon- 1398 belligerent Europeans, and intend to continue to do so; is the contemplated advance on Tehran by Russian troops in accordance with the terms of the Anglo-Russian Conventon; and will the Foreign Office undertake that, in any steps which may be taken as absolutely necessary for the protection of Europeans, the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of Persia will be rigidly respected?
§ Sir E. GREYAs regards the first point in the hon. Member's question, I beg to refer him to the reply just returned to the question asked by the hon. Member for North Hackney. As regards the second point, it is true that certain leading Nationalists at Tehran addressed a letter to His Majesty's Minister containing an assertion of the nature specified. At the same time, the "Constitutionalists" at Kazvin sent telegrams to the foreign Legations at Tehran, implying the possibility of action of a different kind, and the Russian Charged Affaires has also received other letters of a threatening tenour signed by numerous Tehran Nationalists. Perhaps I might summarise the situation in this respect by saying that it consists of satisfactory assurances qualified by occasional menaces. As regards the last two points, the hon. Member is already aware, from statements recently made in this House and from the explicit declaration made by the Russian Government, that an advance on Tehran is contemplated only in the event of there being, in the opinion of the Russian Legation, imminent danger to the lives and property of Europeans there, and that there is no intention on the part of the Russian Government that the Russian troops should be used for any other purpose. There is nothing in what has happened which conflicts with any article of the Anglo-Russian Convention. In answer to the last part of the question, a; no undertaking can be given respecting the future course of events in Persia, I can give no undertaking as to the principles which it may or may not be possible to uphold under stress of circumstances. I have stated the principle to which we desire to adhere.
§ Mr. FLYNNMay I ask whether, in reference to the satisfactory assurances which he quotes, that a short time ago the Russian Consul-General, writing to the Sipahdar in March last, said:—
Personally I can affirm that up to date the representatives of the Persian nation have made many efforts for the security of the subjects of the Russian Government in Resht, and have behaved towards them with great consideration.1399 That being so, if he were satisfied with the moderation and good conduct of the Persian National troops, what has occurred to involve issues of great danger?
§ Sir E. GREYThe statement refers to one date and to one place in Persia. Other things have happened since then, and have happened elsewhere. The Nationalists at Tabriz sent a telegram to the Foreign Legation at Tehran implying the possibility of action. The Russian Chargé d'Affaires at Tehran also received that letter sent by the Persian Nationalist party, and there is a conflict of statement of fact.
§ Mr. FLYNNMay I ask whether at the present moment there is not great danger, according to the telegrams published this morning describing Russian troops and artillery crossing the Caspian, of a Russian occupation of Northern Persia, without justification?
§ Sir E. GREYIf the chaos and confusion continue in Persia, all sort of contingencies may arise.
§ Mr. LYNCHIs it a fact that the representatives of the two Powers warned the leaders of the Nationalist forces that if they entered Tehran the Russian troops would also enter the city?
§ Sir E. GREYThere was a warning given that the surest way to avoid interference from outside was to preserve order. That, I think, is the only definite thing which can be said about the present situation.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEHas the Russian Legation by itself, without consultation with the British, a right to march troops on Tehran?
§ Sir E. GREYI practically answered that yesterday by pointing out that these disturbed districts are close to the Russian frontier. If the House will contemplate a similar situation equally close to the Indian frontier, we should reserve to ourselves the right to take whatever steps we considered necessary on our own initiative for the protection of our own interests, and the safety of our subjects and their property.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEAm I right in understanding the right hon. Gentleman to say that the Russian Legation have a right, without consultation with the British, to decide when the Russian troops 1400 should march on Tehran? I was not referring to outside districts, but to the capital itself.
§ Sir E. GREYThe Russian Government have kept me informed of all the steps they contemplated taking. In the case of any place as close to our frontier as Tehran is to the Russian frontier, we should reserve to ourselves liberty of action to take whatever steps we considered necessary for the protection of our own interests, and we cannot deny a similar right to other Powers.