The Turkmenchai Treaty imposed on Iran

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 5th of the Islamic month of Sha’ban in 1243 AH, following Qajarid Iran's defeat in the second series of battles in the Caucasus with expansionist Russia, the Turkmenchai Treaty was imposed on Fath Ali Shah with the mediation of the British colonial officials, on the threat that failure to accept will result in the march of Russian troops upon Tehran.
As per this one-sided treaty, Iran handed over to Russia, the Erivan khanate or most of present-day central Armenia, the Nakhchivan khanate, which is the present-day Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, the Talish khanate, the Ordubad and Mughan regions of what is now the Republic of Azerbaijan, in addition to all lands seized by Russia some fifteen years earlier, such as Georgia, Daghestan and other parts of the Caucasus.
It is to be recalled that initially these battles, led by crown prince, Abbas Mirza, were in Iran's favour but lack of support from Tehran resulted in disastrous defeats. In the aftermath of the war and signing of the humiliating treaty, anti-Russian sentiments became rampant in Iran, and on February 11, 1829, angry people stormed the Russian embassy in Tehran and killed almost everyone inside including the newly appointed ambassador, Alexander Griboyedov, who was part of the team that drafted the Turkmenchai Treaty.