An Analysis of the Role of Sir Gore Ouseley at the End of the First Period of Russo-Persian Wars

Iran was put exposed on the politics and intervention of the European countries on the eve of the nineteenth century, when Iranian politicians were not enough primed to face such a situation because of the undeveloped state of the country along with their own ignorance. The first round of Russo-Persian Wars was one of the most important instances of the involvement of Europeans in Iran, which ended with the imposition of the Treaty of Gulistan with the mediation of the UK ambassador to Iran, Sir Gore Ouseley. This study tried to analyze the role of Sir Gore Ouseley in the events leading to the end of the first period of the Russo-Persian Wars especially the aforementioned treaty. The results indicate that Sir Gore Ouseley acted as a mediator in the negotiations between Iran and Russia since 1227 AH /1812. However, he had an important role in defeating Abbas Mirza's forces in Aslanduz, with his tendency toward Russia and his removal of British officers from the Iranian troops. Promising the reclaim of the Iranian lands by the Russian emperor, and using other promises and threats, he also forced other people to accept the unequal conditions of peace with Russia.