IOR/L/PS/9/71/84

Copy of dispatch No. 73 from the East India Company Envoy to Persia [Iran], Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonald Kinneir, in Tassooch [Tasuj], to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, George Swinton, of 1 November 1827, which was received on 25 February 1828. The letter concerns the events of the ongoing war between Russia and Persia [Russo-Persian War, 1826-1828], including:

• The capture of the fortresses of Abbasabad [ʿAbbasabad] and Erivan [Yerevan]
• The surrender of the capital of the province of Azerbijan [Azerbaijan], Tabriz, without a fight
• The dissolution of the army of Abbas Mirza [ʿAbbās Mīrzā Qājār, Crown Prince of Persia] resulting from the widespread desertion of troops
• Abbas Mirza’s unsuccessful attempts to meet with General Paskevitch [General Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich-Erivansky, Governor-General of Georgia] to negotiate for peace
• The ‘revolt’ taking place in Azerbijan [Azerbaijan] in favour of Russia, with an attendant list of the individuals and groups concerned and their motivations.

Macdonald Kinneir concludes by reflecting on the possible outcome of the conflict, prognosticating the possible dissolution of the Persian Government and indicating his view that Russia has achieved an ascendant position in Central Asia.

Macdonald Kinneir also details the circumstances of his having lent 3000 tomans to Abbas Mirza.

The letter originally enclosed correspondence concerning peace negotiations and other matters relating to the war (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/71/85-97).