Mirza Agha Esphahani

Fatemeh Moezi

     Mirza Agha Esphahani. A statesman of constitutional period was born in 1865 in Isphahan. He engaged himself in oil trade in Tehran and was referred to as Mirza Agha Nafti. In 1895 he embarked for Istanbul  and during his long sojorn due to which he became famous as Istanbuli he continued his commercial activities. In Istanbul he was acquainted with the ideas of modernism through reading journals such as Akhtar and Habl-ol-Matin.

     In 1904 simultaneous with Mozafferaddin Shah’s travel to Europe he went to Europe, and met the royal delegation accompanying the Shah, including Nasser-ul-Molk and Einuddowleh and succeeded to establish close relations with AbdulMajid Mirza Einuddowleh. This friendly relations led to his return to Iran and his residence in the capital. In Hablol-Matin he published a series of articles tittled Modafeeye Vatan (in the defence of the mother land). In these articles he dealt  with the roots of the countru’s backwardness putting stress on the idea of archaism, observed the evasion of the Arabs to Iran, as one of the reasons fot the Iran’s backwardness, and pursuing western intellectuals believed that the seperation of religion and politics will help the development of country. In the some series of articles he observed the foundation of national assembly as the main solution for the country’s problems. The raticles encouraged Einowddowleh, then the prime minister to prepare a constitutional law. But in drawing up of the law his attitude was so radical that it was rejected and never was put to work.

      From his earliest days in Tehran, he joined the Anjomane-e Makhfi (the secret society) founders of which were Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabaee and NazemulEslam. The activity of this Anjoman was reading newspaprers and books such as Ebrahim Beig’s Travel account, Yek Kalame  by Mostasharoddowleh, the works of Mirza Malkom Khan Nazemuddowleh and criticising Einowddowleh’s cabinet. Also, he became a member of Iranian Awakening lodge (lodge-e Bidari Iranian) which was the first official lodge of freemasonary in Iran.

      He was one of the founder of the national library in Tehran. Other founders of this library were Mirza Mohammad Ali Khan Nosratossoltan, Seyyed Nassrollah Taqavi, Seyyed Jamal Vaez and Haj Mirza Nassrollah Malek-ol-Motekallemin. All these people were members of this lodege and the semi-freemasonary society of Revolutionary Committee. This library was a proper place for the gatherings of these people and as Seyyed Hassan Taghizadeh said all people who sought trouble would go there.

      Regarding his opposition to Einoddowleh, he published under ground newspaper against him and in any place he would go he related gossops about him. This attitude of him ended in his exile with Mirza Ahmad MajdolEslam and Mirza Hassan Roshdiyeh by the order of prime minister to Kalat. His exile period was not that long and in Jamadi-Al-Akhar of the same year by the order of new prime minister, Mirza Nassrollah Khan Moshiroddowleh he was freed from exile, but according to the advice of prime minister he did not come to Tehran and embarked for Istanbul, where he had some problems with Iranian delegation there due to organizing trade union of Iranian merchants and was eciled by ottoman government to Iran.

     On mid May 1907, Mirza Agha Esphahani entered Tabriz. His exile to Kalat and his removal from ottoman Empire and his cooperation with Mirza Reza Khan Arfauddowleh led Tabrizian people to receive him warmly and they went to Aji Bridge to welcome him. Immediately after his arrival he joined the national society and turned to be one of active members of this society. From this time he was refered to as Mirza Agha Mojahed. His entry to Tabriz was simultaneous with the Mzcou riots. The militants (Mojadedin) of  Khoy were a group of radicals who enjoyed the support of committee of socialist democrats. Mirza Agha was responsible from this society to make survey on this affair. Of course, before his intermediation a mission of 6 people were sent by this society to Khoy. Mirza Agha Mojahed who joined this group midway succeeded to put an end to this riot and freed Khoy prisoners from Eqbal olSaltaneh. At this time he was chosen to Majlis deputiness from Tabriz. Returning from Khoy, he went to Tehran. His period of membership in Majlis did not last so long, because in some cases he opposed to the demands of the society from Majlis. He was changed with a series of accusations. He was accused of receiving bribery from the Khan of Maku, EqbalulSaltaneh and secret cooperation with Mohammed Ali Shah’s court. Eventually in 11 April 1908 through sending a telegram the national society of Tabriz announced the Majlis that Mirza Agha has been removed from Majlis. After a period Mirza left Tehran for Europe and wrote an article in West Minister Gazzitt titled “ What happened in Iran?” and criticized the Majlis, the members and the society. Edward Brown gave an answer to his article and there was a debate between these two in the press. After a while Mirza Agha went to Atabat-Aliyat to find a solution for Iran’s question. His opponents and constitutionalists were not satisfied with his trip to Atabat-Aliyat and they endeavored to neutralize  his attempts. Mirza Agha after his visit to Ulamas  Atabat on April 1909 entered Iran and was missioner by ulama to make negotiations with Mohammad Ali  Shah to see that if cooperated with the nation and put in force the constitutional law, Ulama will suppoert him. This is not clear whether he succeeded to meet Mohammad Ali Shah, or not. But in his return to Tehran, he was connected tp NazemulEslam’s secret society and published a underground newspaper for the society titled “ Shokoufeye Asr”. At this time he restarted his commercial activities in Tehran. By approach of constitutionalist forces to Tehran and occupation of Tehran, he left for Shemiran and sojourned there for a while. Following the restoration of peace and order in the city, he returned to city but hostilities of Seyyed Hassan TagiZadeh and Mohammad Reza Mossavat led to his imprisonment by constitutionalist forces for one year. They did not mention any reasonable reason for his arrest. Eventually he was released in 1328 Ghamari and continued his political career enough publishing Rouznameye Asr. In 1914 he joined Etedal party in confronting Democrat party. He candidate himself from this party for parliament membership    he was elected. In these years he was titled EtemadulMolk, and for a while was governor of Golpayegan and Talesh. His last office was the lead of Tobacco Department till 1920.