The Persian Socialist Soviet Republic ( fa, ), also known as the Soviet Republic of Iran or Socialist Soviet Republic of Gilan, was a short-lived
unrecognized state, a
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
republic in the
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian province of
Gilan that lasted from June 1920 until September 1921. It was established by
Mirza Kuchik Khan
Mirza Kuchik Khan ( fa, میرزا كوچک خان) (common alternative spellings ''Kouchek'', ''Koochek'', ''Kuchak'', ''Kuchek'', ''Kouchak'', ''Koochak'', ''Kuçek'') (October 12, 1880 – December 2, 1921) was an Iranian twentieth-century ...
, a leader of the "Constitutionalist Movement of Gilan", and his
Jangali partisans, with the assistance of the
Soviet Russia
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
's
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
.
Background and history
The
Jungle movement that had started in 1914 gained momentum after the victory of the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
. 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
A counter-revolutionary or an anti-revolutionary is anyone who opposes or resists a revolution, particularly one who acts after a revolution in order to try to overturn it or reverse its course, in full or in part. The adjective "counter-revolu ...
General
Denikin
Anton Ivanovich Denikin (russian: Анто́н Ива́нович Дени́кин, link= ; 16 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._4_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New St ...
, 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
Mirza Kuchik Khan ( fa, میرزا كوچک خان) (common alternative spellings ''Kouchek'', ''Koochek'', ''Kuchak'', ''Kuchek'', ''Kouchak'', ''Koochak'', ''Kuçek'') (October 12, 1880 – December 2, 1921) was an Iranian twentieth-century ...
considered several choices. Mirza had considered seeking support from Bolsheviks when a year before he traveled on foot to
Lankaran
Lankaran ( az, Lənkəran, ) is a city in Azerbaijan, on the coast of the Caspian Sea, near the southern border with Iran. As of 2021, the city had a population of 89,300. It is next to, but independent of, Lankaran District. The city forms a di ...
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
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, namely the domination of the upper classes and the
Imperial Court. Kuchak Khan's second-in-command,
Ehsanollah Khan Dustdar
Ehsān-Allāh Khān Dūstdār ( fa, احسانالله خان دوستدار), (1883 or 1884 in Sari – March 10, 1939, in Moscow) also known as "Red Comrade", was an early twentieth century Iranian Marxist revolutionary and leader of t ...
, had become a
communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...
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
Iranian nationalismPersian: ملیگرایی ایرانی
Baloch: راج دوستی ایرانی
Kurdish: نەتەوە پەروەریی ئێرانی
Gilaki: ایجانایی ایرانی
Azerbaijani: İran millətçiliyi
Turkmen: Eýrany ...
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
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 which was considered as a conservative position by 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
Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world an ...
-based
Edalat (''Justice'') Party) on the other.
On June 9, 1920 Mirza Kuchak Khan left
Rasht
Rasht ( fa, رشت, Rašt ; glk, Rəšt, script=Latn; also romanized as Resht and Rast, and often spelt ''Recht'' in French and older German manuscripts) is the capital city of Gilan Province, Iran. Also known as the "City of Rain" (, ''Ŝahre B ...
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 Cabinet
*
Mohammad 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
Nasrullah ( ar, نصرالله , lit=victory of God) is a masculine given name, commonly found in the Arabic language and is used by Muslims and Christians alike. It may also be transliterated as Nasralla, Nasrollah, Nasrullah (name), Nasrullah, ...
– Post & 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 commission
Coup d'état
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
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...
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)
The Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship was signed on 26 February 1921 in Moscow between representatives of Persia and Soviet Russia. Based on the terms of the treaty, all previous agreements made between the signatories including the Treaty of Tur ...
was then signed, ensuring peaceful relations between the two countries and resulting in the withdrawal of Soviet forces.
Reza Khan Mirpanj
,
, spouse = Maryam Savadkoohi Tadj ol-Molouk Ayromlu (queen consort)Turan AmirsoleimaniEsmat Dowlatshahi
, issue = Princess Hamdamsaltaneh Princess ShamsMohammad Reza Shah Princess Ashraf Prince Ali Reza Prince Gholam Reza Prin ...
, who had initiated a successful coup d'état with
Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee
Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabataba'i (June 1889 – 29 August 1969; fa, سید ضیاءالدین طباطبایی) was an Iranian journalist and politician who, with the help of Reza Khan Savadkuhi, led the 1921 Persian coup d'état, and subsequentl ...
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.
Historical analysis
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 also that the change of policy on the Soviet side regarding pursuing global revolution (as advocated by
Trotsky
Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian M ...
) 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
The Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement was an agreement signed on 16 March 1921 to facilitate trade between the United Kingdom and the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic. It was signed by Robert Horne, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leonid Kras ...
with the British in London (1921) which required them to retreat from Northern Iran. Correspondence between
Theodore Rothstein, the Soviet ambassador in Tehran, and Mirza kuchak Khan clearly supports this view.
[Ebrahim Fakhrayi.] 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
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
, not to obey his orders and as a result that campaign was defeated.
See also
*
Constitutionalist movement of Gilan
The Jangal (Jungle) Movement, in Gilan, was a rebellion against the monarchist rule of the central government of Sublime State of Iran, which lasted from 1915 to 1921.
History of the movement
In 1915, Mirza Kuchik Khan, an experienced activist ...
*
Jungle Party
*
Tudeh Party
The Tudeh Party of Iran ( fa-at, حزب تودۀ ایران, Ḥezb-e Tūde-ye Īrān, lit=Party of the Masses of Iran) is an Iranian communist party. Formed in 1941, with Soleiman Mirza Eskandari as its head, it had considerable influence in i ...
*
Avetis Sultan-Zade
Avetis Sultanovich Sultan-Zade (1889–1938) (russian: Аветис Султанович Султан-Заде; fa, آوتيس سلطانزاده) (born Avetis Mikaelian) was a Persian-born ethnic Armenian communist revolutionary and econom ...
Notes
References
*
*
*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.
*
* 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
*
External links
Brief summary of history with flagSocialist Republic of Gilan: The First Offensive Move of the October Revolution
{{coord missing, Gilan Province
1921 disestablishments in Asia
Early Soviet republics
Former socialist republics
History of Gilan
1920 in Iran
1921 in Iran
Iran–Soviet Union relations
States and territories established in 1920
Former unrecognized countries
Communism in Iran
Politics of Qajar Iran
Former countries of the interwar period
History of Talysh