The Ottoman Empire in the First World War (1914–1918) in the light of Iranian sources

This study, titled "The Ottoman Empire in the First World War (1914–1918) in the Light of Iranian Sources", examines the Ottoman Empire's entry into World War I and its military, political, and religious policies throughout the war based on Iranian sources and qualitative research methods. The research employs techniques such as content analysis, conceptual analysis, documentation, and critical analysis. The subjects are assessed using Iranian archival documents, periodicals, and memoirs. A sociopolitical analytical approach is adopted to interpret how political, military, and social developments during the war were reflected in Iranian public opinion. By utilizing documents from Iran's Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs and the Iranian National Archives, the study aims to reveal how Iranian governments observed and responded to the Ottoman Empire's political and military activities during the war. Additionally, newspapers such as Asr-ı Jadid, Bâmdâd-ı Raushan, Tchehre Nema, Irshâd, Hablul-Matin, Khavar, Kavah, Noubahar, Ra'd, and Shihâb-ı Sâkib are analyzed to understand how they interpreted the Ottoman Empire's political, military, and religious policies. Memoirs from the period are also examined to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian statesmen, eyewitnesses, and religious scholars regarding Ottoman initiatives. The study discusses the border disputes between the Ottoman Empire and Iran, the Ottoman military preparations before the war, the unilateral abolition of capitulations, and the declaration of Cihad-ı Ekber (Great Jihad) by the Ottoman Shaykh al-Islam, along with its impact on Iranian public and religious circles. It also addresses the military and propaganda operations carried out by the Ottoman Empire on the Caucasus, Iraq, and Gallipoli fronts, and examines the reactions of various Iranian governments, Shiite scholars, local leaders, and the general public. Ottoman and German missions in Iran and Afghanistan, the Rauf Bey Detachment, the Kermanshah Crisis, the struggle for oil, and the responses of local tribes and leaders are discussed in the context of Iran's policy of neutrality. Finally, the study evaluates how the military and diplomatic efforts of the Ottoman-German alliance were perceived by the Iranian public and how these efforts influenced Iran's internal and external politics. The original contribution of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of how the Iranian governments, religious authorities, and public perceived and responded to the Ottoman Empire's initiatives during World War I, based entirely on Iranian sources.