The Iran Socialist Soviet Republic (Persian: جمهوری شورایی سوسیالیستی ایران), also known as the Socialist Soviet Republic of Gilan,[4] (Gilaki: گیلانˇ شؤرایي جؤمۊري)[5] was a short-lived unrecognized state, a Soviet republic in north-west of Caspian sea that lasted from June 1920 until September 1921. It was established by Mirza Kuchik Khan, a leader of the "Constitutionalist Movement of Gilan", and his Jangali partisans, with the assistance of the Soviet Russia's Red Army.
Faced with the conflict between his movement and the united British and central government forces, the Iranian revolutionary Mirza Kuchak Khan considered several choices. Mirza had considered seeking support from Bolsheviks when a year before he traveled on foot to Lankaran to meet with them but by the time he arrived in that city, the Red forces had been forced to evacuate.
Amongst the Jangalis, there were many who felt that the Bolsheviks offered a real solution to the problems shared by both Russia and Iran, namely the domination of the upper classes and the Imperial Court. Kuchak Khan's second-in-command, Ehsanollah Khan Dustdar, had become a communist and an ardent advocate of an alliance with the Bolsheviks. Kuchak Khan, though hesitant and cautious towards such an idea due to both his religious and Iranian nationalist background, accepted and the Jangalis entered into an agreement with the Bolsheviks.
This cooperation with the Soviet revolutionaries was based on some conditions including the announcement of the Persian Socialist Soviet Republic under his leadership and lack of any direct intervention by the Soviets in the internal affairs of the republic. The Soviets agreed to support him with ammunition and soldiers. Mirza offered to pay for the ammunition but the Soviets refused any payments.
Declaration of the RepublicEdit
In May 1920, the Soviet Republic of Gilan, officially known as the Socialist Soviet Republic of Iran, came into being. The Republic did not redistribute land to poor peasants, to the dismay of the more radical forces of the Jangal movement. Therefore, soon disagreements arose between Mirza and his group of advisors on one side and the Soviets and the Communist Party of Persia (evolved from the Baku-based Edalat (Justice) Party) on the other.
Stamp of Iranian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1920, showing the legendary rebel Kaveh the Blacksmith - one hand holding a hammer, and the other anachronistically waving the Republic's Red Flag.
On June 9, 1920 Mirza Kuchak Khan left Rasht in protest and also to avoid military confrontation (which he had always avoided as much as possible, even while fighting with the central government forces) and opened the way for the Communist (Edalat) party to set a coup d'état. The new administration, formally under Ehsanollah Khan but actually under the influence of Batyrbek Abukov (the Soviet Commissar) started a series of radical activities such as anti-religious propaganda, or forcing money out of the rich landlords.
Conservative elements characterized these measures as simply the latest features of longstanding Russian interference in the region, and the middle-class were antagonized by the level of violence, disrespect for property, and the Russian ties of the Jangali movement. The Republic also lost support from the general population due to the exceedingly high number of war refugees who began flooding the urban centers, thus posing a significant economic problem.
First CabinetEdit
Mohammad taghi Pir bazari – Finance commissioner
Mir shams el din vaghari (Vagahr ol saltane) – Interial commissioner
Mirza's efforts to resolve the bloody disputes by sending a petition through a delegate of two of his men to Soviet premier Vladimir Lenin[6] did not result in a resolution. By 1921, and particularly after the agreement achieved between the Soviet Union and Britain, the Soviets decided not to further support the Soviet Republic of Gilan. The Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship (1921) was then signed, ensuring peaceful relations between the two countries and resulting in the withdrawal of Soviet forces.
Reza Khan Mirpanj, who had initiated a successful coup d'état with Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee several days beforehand, then began reasserting central government control over Gilan and Mazandaran. The Soviet Republic of Gilan officially came to an end in September 1921. Mirza and his German friend Gauook (Hooshang) fled alone into the Alborz Mountains, and died of frostbite. It is said that his body was decapitated by a local landlord and his head was displayed in Rasht to establish the government's new hegemony over revolution and revolutionary ideas.[citation needed]
Historical analysisEdit
Historians have tried to analyze the factors that contributed to the demise of the Jangal movement. Some of the main studies including those by Gregor Yeghikian and Ebrahim Fakhrayi (Minister of Culture in Kuchak Khan's Cabinet of the Soviet Republic) suggest a role for both extremist actions taken by the Communist (Edalat) Party that provoked opposing religious sentiment among the public, and Mirza Kuchak Khan's religious and at times somewhat conservative views on collaboration with the Communist Party as possible factors.
It has been suggested[by whom?] also that the change of policy on the Soviet side regarding pursuing global revolution (as advocated by Trotsky) versus establishing and protecting the Soviet Union was the main reason for them to withdraw support from the Gilan Republic. The second option got more support and therefore Soviets signed the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement with the British in London (1921) which required them to retreat from Northern Iran. Correspondence between Theodore Rothstein,[7] the Soviet ambassador in Tehran, and Mirza kuchak Khan clearly supports this view.[8] As part of his peace making efforts, Rothstein had also sent a message to the Soviet officers among Ehsanollah Khan's one thousand strong force that had made its way towards Qazvin, not to obey his orders and as a result that campaign was defeated.
Nasrollah Fatemi (1952). Diplomatic History of Persia. Russell F. Moore. ASIN B0007DXLE2. LCCN 52011977.
Ebrahim Fakhrayi, Sardar-e Jangal (The Commander of the Jungle), Tehran: Javidan, 1983.
Gregor Yaghikiyan, Shooravi and jonbesh-e jangal (The Soviet Union and the Jungle Movement), Editor: Borzouyeh Dehgan, Tehran: Novin, 1984.
Cosroe Chaqueri (1994), The Soviet Socialist Republic of Iran, 1920-21, University of Pittsburgh Press, OCLC 831417921, OL 25431986M
Vladimir Genis, Krasnaia Persiia: Bol'sheviki v Giliane, 1920-1921. Dokumental'naia khronika (Moscow 2000).
Cronin, Stephanie, "Reformers and Revolutionaries in Modern Iran: New Perspectives on the Iranian Left. Routledge, 2004.
Further readingEdit
Nejad, Kayhan A. (2021). "To break the feudal bonds: the Soviets, Reza Khan, and the Iranian left, 1921-25". Middle Eastern Studies. 57 (5): 758–776. doi:10.1080/00263206.2021.1897578. S2CID 233524659.
External linksEdit
Brief summary of history with flag
Socialist Republic of Gilan: The First Offensive Move of the October Revolution[dead link]
September 03, 2023
persian, socialist, soviet, republic, iran, socialist, soviet, republic, persian, جمهوری, شورایی, سوسیالیستی, ایران, also, known, socialist, soviet, republic, gilan, gilaki, گیلانˇ, شؤرایي, جؤمۊري, short, lived, unrecognized, state, soviet, republic, north, we. The Iran Socialist Soviet Republic Persian جمهوری شورایی سوسیالیستی ایران also known as the Socialist Soviet Republic of Gilan 4 Gilaki گیلانˇ شؤرایي جؤمۊري 5 was a short lived unrecognized state a Soviet republic in north west of Caspian sea that lasted from June 1920 until September 1921 It was established by Mirza Kuchik Khan a leader of the Constitutionalist Movement of Gilan and his Jangali partisans with the assistance of the Soviet Russia s Red Army Iranian Socialist Soviet Republicجمهوری شوروی سوسیالیستی ایران 1 2 3 1920 1921Flag EmblemAnthem انترناسیونال The Internationale source source track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track track Location of Gilan where the Persian SSR was declared in Iran StatusUnrecognized stateCapitalRashtCommon languagesGilaki TalyshiGovernmentSocialist republicChairman of the Commissariat 1920 21Mirza Kuchik KhanHistorical eraInterwar period Socialist Republic declaredMay 1920 Russo Persian TreatyFebruary 1921 DisestablishedSeptember 1921Preceded by Succeeded byQajar Iran Qajar IranToday part ofIran Contents 1 Background and history 2 Declaration of the Republic 3 First Cabinet 3 1 Coup d etat 4 Historical analysis 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksBackground and history EditThe Jungle movement that had started in 1914 gained momentum after the victory of the Bolsheviks in Russia In May 1920 the Soviet Caspian Fleet led by Fedor Raskolnikov and accompanied by Sergo Orzhonikidze entered the Caspian port of Anzali This mission was declared to be only in pursuit of the Russian vessels and ammunition taken to Anzali by the White Russian counter revolutionary General Denikin who had been given asylum by British forces in Anzali The British garrison in Anzali soon evacuated the town without any resistance retreating to Manjil Faced with the conflict between his movement and the united British and central government forces the Iranian revolutionary Mirza Kuchak Khan considered several choices Mirza had considered seeking support from Bolsheviks when a year before he traveled on foot to Lankaran to meet with them but by the time he arrived in that city the Red forces had been forced to evacuate Amongst the Jangalis there were many who felt that the Bolsheviks offered a real solution to the problems shared by both Russia and Iran namely the domination of the upper classes and the Imperial Court Kuchak Khan s second in command Ehsanollah Khan Dustdar had become a communist and an ardent advocate of an alliance with the Bolsheviks Kuchak Khan though hesitant and cautious towards such an idea due to both his religious and Iranian nationalist background accepted and the Jangalis entered into an agreement with the Bolsheviks This cooperation with the Soviet revolutionaries was based on some conditions including the announcement of the Persian Socialist Soviet Republic under his leadership and lack of any direct intervention by the Soviets in the internal affairs of the republic The Soviets agreed to support him with ammunition and soldiers Mirza offered to pay for the ammunition but the Soviets refused any payments Declaration of the Republic EditIn May 1920 the Soviet Republic of Gilan officially known as the Socialist Soviet Republic of Iran came into being The Republic did not redistribute land to poor peasants to the dismay of the more radical forces of the Jangal movement Therefore soon disagreements arose between Mirza and his group of advisors on one side and the Soviets and the Communist Party of Persia evolved from the Baku based Edalat Justice Party on the other Stamp of Iranian Soviet Socialist Republic 1920 showing the legendary rebel Kaveh the Blacksmith one hand holding a hammer and the other anachronistically waving the Republic s Red Flag On June 9 1920 Mirza Kuchak Khan left Rasht in protest and also to avoid military confrontation which he had always avoided as much as possible even while fighting with the central government forces and opened the way for the Communist Edalat party to set a coup d etat The new administration formally under Ehsanollah Khan but actually under the influence of Batyrbek Abukov the Soviet Commissar started a series of radical activities such as anti religious propaganda or forcing money out of the rich landlords Conservative elements characterized these measures as simply the latest features of longstanding Russian interference in the region and the middle class were antagonized by the level of violence disrespect for property and the Russian ties of the Jangali movement The Republic also lost support from the general population due to the exceedingly high number of war refugees who began flooding the urban centers thus posing a significant economic problem First Cabinet EditMohammad taghi Pir bazari Finance commissioner Mir shams el din vaghari Vagahr ol saltane Interial commissioner Seyyed Jafar Some e sarai Mohseni Foreign commissioner Mahmud Reza Justice commissioner Abolghasem Rezazade Fakhraei Trade commissioner Nasrollah Reza Post amp telegraph commissioner Mohammadali Gilak Khomami Public benefits commissioner Ali Habibi Police chief Dr Mansur Bavar Health head chief Mirza Shokrollah khan Tonekaboni keyhan Research chief Amir taka Head of war commissionCoup d etat Edit Main article Iranian coup of 1921 Mirza s efforts to resolve the bloody disputes by sending a petition through a delegate of two of his men to Soviet premier Vladimir Lenin 6 did not result in a resolution By 1921 and particularly after the agreement achieved between the Soviet Union and Britain the Soviets decided not to further support the Soviet Republic of Gilan The Russo Persian Treaty of Friendship 1921 was then signed ensuring peaceful relations between the two countries and resulting in the withdrawal of Soviet forces Reza Khan Mirpanj who had initiated a successful coup d etat with Seyyed Zia eddin Tabatabaee several days beforehand then began reasserting central government control over Gilan and Mazandaran The Soviet Republic of Gilan officially came to an end in September 1921 Mirza and his German friend Gauook Hooshang fled alone into the Alborz Mountains and died of frostbite It is said that his body was decapitated by a local landlord and his head was displayed in Rasht to establish the government s new hegemony over revolution and revolutionary ideas citation needed Historical analysis EditHistorians have tried to analyze the factors that contributed to the demise of the Jangal movement Some of the main studies including those by Gregor Yeghikian and Ebrahim Fakhrayi Minister of Culture in Kuchak Khan s Cabinet of the Soviet Republic suggest a role for both extremist actions taken by the Communist Edalat Party that provoked opposing religious sentiment among the public and Mirza Kuchak Khan s religious and at times somewhat conservative views on collaboration with the Communist Party as possible factors It has been suggested by whom also that the change of policy on the Soviet side regarding pursuing global revolution as advocated by Trotsky versus establishing and protecting the Soviet Union was the main reason for them to withdraw support from the Gilan Republic The second option got more support and therefore Soviets signed the Anglo Soviet Trade Agreement with the British in London 1921 which required them to retreat from Northern Iran Correspondence between Theodore Rothstein 7 the Soviet ambassador in Tehran and Mirza kuchak Khan clearly supports this view 8 As part of his peace making efforts Rothstein had also sent a message to the Soviet officers among Ehsanollah Khan s one thousand strong force that had made its way towards Qazvin not to obey his orders and as a result that campaign was defeated See also EditConstitutionalist movement of Gilan Jungle Party Tudeh Party Avetis Sultan ZadeNotes Edit Ervand Abrahamian 2008 A history of modern Iran Cambridge University Press Page 59 61 Mattair Thomas 2008 Global Security Watch Iran Praeger Security International p 7 ISBN 9781567207576 Hunter Shireen 2004 Islam in Russia Center for Strategic and International Studies p 317 ISBN 9780765612823 Mattair Thomas 2008 Global Security Watch Iran Praeger Security International p 7 ISBN 9781567207576 گیلانˇ شؤرایي جؤمۊري Wikipedia 2022 10 14 retrieved 2023 01 03 Koochak Behrooz SFSU Archived from the original on February 18 2008 Ebrahim Fakhrayi citation needed References EditGeorge Lenczowski 1968 Russia and the West in Iran Greenwood Press ISBN 0 8371 0144 1 Nasrollah Fatemi 1952 Diplomatic History of Persia Russell F Moore ASIN B0007DXLE2 LCCN 52011977 Ebrahim Fakhrayi Sardar e Jangal The Commander of the Jungle Tehran Javidan 1983 Gregor Yaghikiyan Shooravi and jonbesh e jangal The Soviet Union and the Jungle Movement Editor Borzouyeh Dehgan Tehran Novin 1984 Cosroe Chaqueri 1994 The Soviet Socialist Republic of Iran 1920 21 University of Pittsburgh Press OCLC 831417921 OL 25431986M Vladimir Genis Krasnaia Persiia Bol sheviki v Giliane 1920 1921 Dokumental naia khronika Moscow 2000 Cronin Stephanie Reformers and Revolutionaries in Modern Iran New Perspectives on the Iranian Left Routledge 2004 Further reading EditNejad Kayhan A 2021 To break the feudal bonds the Soviets Reza Khan and the Iranian left 1921 25 Middle Eastern Studies 57 5 758 776 doi 10 1080 00263206 2021 1897578 S2CID 233524659 External links EditBrief summary of history with flag Socialist Republic of Gilan The First Offensive Move of the October Revolution dead link A letter from the Revolutionary War Council of the Persian Red Army to Leon Trotsky Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Persian Socialist Soviet Republic amp oldid 1155921274, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
