Abstract:

Britain tried to penetrate Iran on the Indian route from the Safavid period, after eliminating the Portuguese domination in the Persian Gulf, it turned to the interior and put into practice its policy based on colonialism. He put into action all diplomatic maneuvers to prevent a third state from approaching India. In the first years of the Qajar administration, he invalidated the military alliance agreement that Napoleon signed with Iran in Finkestein by signing the agreement with Russia in Tilsit, which included the partition of Iran. He ensured that Russia did not protrude to the south by diplomatic maneuvers at the table and by promising the northern lands of Iran and the Ottoman straits. The two grand viziers of the Qajar administration, being aware of this policy, took measures and made efforts to rid their country of British influence. Muhammad Shah's grand vizier Mirza Ebul Kasım Ferahani (Kaimakam) and Nasıruddin Shah's grand vizier Mirza Taki Khan (Emir-i Kebir) made reforms based on national elements. They sent students to Europe for military and technical developments. Realizing that the British and French officers employed for military reforms were not working for the benefit of Iran, they recruited experts from other countries. They prevented waste by eliminating bribery in the state administration. England, who did not find the reforms of both grand viziers suitable for its own interests, applied diplomatic tricks for a weak Iran. The Qajar shahs, who could not realize this policy, took their country step by step to the British and Russian occupation with the money they borrowed and the concessions they gave to foreign investors. In our study, while Britain's Iran policy was revealed before the First World War, it will be tried to explain how the two grand viziers who opposed this policy and tried to make reforms based on national elements were discredited and why they were eliminated with the main sources of the period. While Britain's Iran policy will be revealed, Afghanistan part, which is an inseparable part of the same policy in history, will also be discussed.

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