neutrality of the United States government in the case of Iran, the presence of an American citizen in the heart of the Tabriz struggle was not considered appropriate. Therefore, in order for the American consul and school officials not to be aware of his actions, Baskerville intended the courtyard of Tabriz Citadel to provide military training to Tabriz constitutionalists and conducted military training in the Tabriz Citadel area every evening. To motivate the fighters, Baskerville sometimes spoke to them about the characters of the American Revolution. Baskerville's actions and the conflict in Iran's internal affairs caused concern in Washington, and William Doty, the US consul in Tabriz, wrote a letter dated January 1, 1909, and then, in a meeting with Baskerville in the presence of Sattar Khan, tried to separate him from the ranks of constitutional fighters. Sattar Khan, while appreciating Baskerville, encouraged him to withdraw from the battle. On April 2, 1909, while Baskerville and his men were in military training, William F. Doty, the US consul in Tabriz, came to the parade and reminded Baskerville that as an American citizen, he had no right to interfere in Iran's domestic politics. In response, Baskerville called the struggle alongside the constitutionalists a defense of the lives and property of the Americans and the people of Tabriz. According to Shafaq, Baskerville said in response to the US consul: "I can not ignore the suffering of these people who are fighting for their rights. I am an American citizen and I am proud of that, but I am a human being and I cannot stop feeling sympathy for the people of this city." Doty asked Baskerville to return his passport. Ahmad Kasravi writes that he submitted his passport to the consulate but Thomas Ricks quotes, "I will not return my passport, and as an American I will support my just cause and join the Constitutional Revolution." Doty was furious that Baskerville was using the US Consulate Library's Encyclopedia Britannica to find ways to make grenades. The US consul once again sent his wife to dissuade Baskerville. In the same days, Baskerville's close friend, Hassan Sharifzadeh, was killed and his death upset Baskerville so much that he replied to the US consul's wife: "The only difference between me and these people is my birthplace, and this is not a big difference." The US Department of State pressured the Central Committee of Christian Missionaries