Ironside had concluded that the 1919 treaty was impossible to implement. There was also a fear that with the withdrawal of British forces, Tehran would be attacked by the Bolsheviks and their supporters.[57] He therefore decided to entrust the reins of affairs to a man capable of maintaining order; in Qazvin, he promoted Reza Khan to the rank of general, provided ammunition and expenses for the 3,000 troops under his command, and also obtained his promise not to depose Ahmad Shah and to assist the British in their withdrawal from Homeland. Despite repeated orders from Tehran to return the Cossacks to their bases, Reza Khan advanced towards the capital, and in a joint message to Ahmad Shah and the British delegation, he stated that he was loyal to the Shah and friendly to the British. On 23 Esfand 1299, the Cossacks entered Tehran without resistance. The high-ranking officers of the Iranian gendarmerie were enthusiastic supporters, and the Tehran police surrendered immediately. The Cossacks were stationed in Mashq Square and martial law was declared. It is not clear whether the government decided not to fight, or whether the soldiers under their command refused to engage Reza Khan’s forces.
