IOR/L/PS/9/70/76

Copy of dispatch No. 6 from HM Chargé d’Affaires to Persia [Iran], Henry Willock, in Tehran, to HM Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, George Canning, of 31 March 1826. The letter originally enclosed correspondence between the Russian and Persian authorities concerning the ongoing frontier dispute between Russia and Persia over land on the shores of the lake of Gokcha [Lake Sevan] (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/70/77-80). The letter discusses the contents of the correspondence and other matters pertaining to the dispute, detailing:

• The failure of the mission of Mirza Saudik [Mirza Muhammad Sadiq Marvazi] to Tiflis [Tbilisi] to settle the dispute
• The Russian refusal to withdraw from the contested territory on the basis of an agreement made between Russia and the Persian envoy Futteh Ali Khan [Fath-‘Ali Khan Rashti] at Tiflis, which the Shah of Persia [Fath-‘Ali Shāh Qājār] has not ratified, being considered binding by Russia
• The desire of the Prince Royal of Persia [Crown Prince of Persia, 'Abbās Mīrzā Qājār] to precipitate a war with Russia on the basis of the failure to settle the dispute
• The desire of the Shah for the British Government to be apprised of details of the dispute.

This document was originally enclosed in Willock’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 2 April 1826 (IOR/L/PS/9/70/75).