Muhsin Khan

Mirza Mohsen Khan Moshir od-Dowleh (; died 13 September 1910), was an Iranian diplomat and politician.

Biography His father Shaykh Mirza Kazem was a son of Mirza Mohsen Arab, a merchant from Tabriz who had migrated there during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah. His mother Jeyran Khanom was the daughter of Hajji Sayyed Hossein and the sister of Adl al-Molk and Rokn al-Edaleh. In his youth, Mirza Mohsen Khan learned Arabic, English, French and possibly Italian. During the years when Amir Kabir resided in Tabriz, he was recognized by him and entered government service as a translator. In addition to his knowledge of various languages he was also skilled in Nastaliq calligraphy.

Career

Between 1851 and 1852, coinciding with the opening of Dar al-Fonun, Mirza Mohsen Khan served as the translator for Italian instructor of the army, infantry, and military organization (known as Metrazzova). He entered the Iranian Army in 1848. In 1855, he served as a Second Class Secretary of Legation in Saint Petersburg. From 1856 to 1857, he took part in the Anglo-Persian War. Between 1858 and 1865, he served as Secretary of Legation under Hasan Ali Khan Garrusi and, in 1866, became Chargé d'affaires in Paris. From 1872 to 1890, he served as the Iranian ambassador to Istanbul. He contributed articles to the newspaper Qanun (“Law”), for which he was recalled from Istanbul to Tehran in 1891. He was granted the title Moshir od-Dowleh. In 1892, he served as Minister of Commerce and Justice. In November 1896, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and eventually became Prime Minister.