The Second Iran-Ottoman Delimitation Commission: Unsuccessful Diplomacy

Document Type : Research/Original/Reqular Article

Author

Associate professor, Department of History, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/jhic.2025.399798.654595

Abstract

Iran and the Ottoman Empire had a relationship full of many ups and downs over the centuries. Following the signing of the Second Treaty of Erzurum on 16 Jumadi al-Thani 1263 AH/ June 1, 1847, efforts to resolve the two countries' disputes, focusing on border delimitation, began. The activity of the first border delimitation commission, which lasted from 1266 to 1268 AH (1850-1852 AD), ended without result, and the disputes between the two governments remained unresolved. Twenty-four years after the end of the first commission, with the mediation of Russia and England, preparations were made for holding the second commission in Istanbul. Over the course of two years, four rounds of negotiations took place (from Shawwal 17, 1291 AH/ December 26, 1874, to Dhul Hijjah 8, 1292 AH/ January 5, 1876). The study attempts to explain, using a descriptive and analytical approach and based on newly discovered documents, how and why the Second Commission was held and the reasons for its postponement and suspension. The research findings indicate that negotiations were postponed due to internal crises in the Ottoman Empire, followed by the Balkan uprising and Russia's declaration of war on the Ottoman Empire (April 24, 1877/ Rabi' al-Thani 10, 1294). Diplomatic efforts by Iranian representatives to resume negotiations failed due to the unwillingness of the representatives of the three governments of Russia, Britain, and the Ottoman Empire, and the Second Commission for Delimitation was suspended. Once again, diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian-Ottoman disputes failed.

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References

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Iranian Journal for the History of Islamic Civilization
Volume 58, Issue 2
(Autumn & Winter 2025 / 2026)
March 2026
Pages 24-43

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History

  • Receive Date: 31 July 2025
  • Revise Date: 09 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 12 November 2025

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