Iran (Twilight of a New Era)

Iran (Persian: ایران), officially the Imperial State of Iran, is a country in Central Eurasia and Western Asia. Established in 1922 after the downfall of the Quajar Dynasty. Includes Afghanistan after 1930. It borders with the Confederation of Arab States, Transcaucasia, Turkestan, Afghanistan (until 1930) and British India.

Beginning the 20th century Persia was ruled by the Quajar Dynasty. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1906) had give the country its first constitution and elected assembly (Majlis). However the ruling elite and Sultan Ahmad Shah Qajar would most of the time try block or limit its implementation and cut down demands for more democracy. For decades the governing elites, traditionalist groups, Shia clergy, emerging political actors and civil society would fight over the issues of modernization and democracy.

The Great Game had in many aspect made of Iran a country under the influence and conflict between Russian and British empires. Two events would ease foreign intervention, followed by more indirect methods of imperialism. The first one is the triumph of the Russian Revolution in 1919. The new state nullifies the Treaty of Gulistan (1813) and the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 and decides to publish all secret treaties. Followed by the failure of the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1920 for the British Empire and the agreement on status quo of the border of British India and Afghanistan. This events would giving space to pursue and independent line in internal and foreign affairs.

In the 1920s it had to dealt with continuous rebellions supported by the socialist Transcaucasia in the Iranian provinces of Azarbaijan, Gilan and Mazandaran. Having a brief existence in the Persian People's Republic (1921-1922). After its fall, political parties identified with socialism or worker's and peasant's rights where banned or under police surveillance. In 1922 it was signed the Anglo-Persian Agreement under British pressure has a compensation in helping to disband the Persian People's Republic. The Agreement was widely viewed as establishing a British protectorate over Iran. However, it aroused considerable opposition, and the Majlis refusal to approve it. The Persian Cossacks under Brigade officer Reza Khan marched into Tehran and seized power. Reza Khan briefly governed has Prime Minister until his appointment by the Majlis has new Sha of Iran.

The relationship of Iran with the Emirate of Afghanistan was mainly based on mutual defense against the incursions of communist rebels in the provinces bordering Turkestan and an hypothetical invasion from the FSR of Turkestan. After Reza Khan's coup, the Emir of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan was force in signing the Treaty of Herat in 1922 in exchange of military help in crushing traibal rebellions and communist uprisings in the northern provinces. By Treaty of Herat, Afghanistan become all but in name part of Iran. The fall of the Afghan Democratic Republic (1922-1925) marks the end of direct intervention in Afghanistan and Iran of the socialist states. In 1929 a Treaty of Recognition would end the hostilities of Iran with FSR and FSR of Turkestan and reestablish diplomatic relationships. On the death of Amanullah Khan in 1930 the Afghan Assembly votes its union with Iran. Reza Khan would be crowned in Kabul. The Iranian Majlis, after a snap election that included the provinces of Afghanistan would proclaim him Shahanshah of the Imperial State of Iran.