The Persian Government have nothing to complain of as regards
what has happened during the past five years. Again and again the Turks and Kurds, not to say the German-inspired revolutionaries, would have overthrown the Government if Russian and British troops had not fought on Persian soil, and so far as possible kept order and checked intrigue. Now that the war is over Persia could not carry on without help. Help can rightly come from Great Britain, who alone of the Great Powers has a frontier marching with that of Persia. Naturally it is to our interest to sa.ve from a fatal decline a State which forms the heart of the Middle East, and which stands across the path to India. We need not refuse frankly to acknow- ledge this fact. Nevertheless the British arrangement with Persia, so far as Persian interests are concerned, is perfectly disinterested. When we say that we shall respect the independ- ence of Persia we mean it.
Previous page
