Foreign Relations History

Foreign Relations History

The Asylum of Georges Azrilenko and the Embassy Disputes in Tehran, 1921–1922

Document Type : Scientific - research article

Author
Department of History. Faculty of Letters and Humanities. University of Tehran. Tehran. Iran
10.22034/hfr.2026.573811.1578
Abstract
This paper examines the consequences of the phenomenon of migration and asylum-seeking by Soviet citizens to Persia in the years following the 1917 Revolution, using the case of Georges Azrilenko (1921–1922) as its subject of study. Within the complex historical context of the period—shaped by the 1921 Treaty between Persia and Soviet Russia, internal conflicts, and the rivalry of external powers, particularly Britain and Soviet Russia—the incident quickly assumed political and diplomatic dimensions. The Soviet representative’s demand for Azrilenko’s extradition, coupled with the French Embassy’s protection of him, clearly transformed asylum into an arena for international pressure and bargaining. The Persian government’s response to this crisis revealed structural weaknesses and governance challenges, which figures such as Ahmad Qavam and Mohammad Sa’ed sought to mitigate through individual initiative. By analyzing the Azrilenko affair, this research underscores the importance of studying minor events to better understand the transnational dimensions and complexities of Persia’s foreign relations during the transitional period following the First World War.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 February 2026