When Uzbeks attacked Persian customs and military posts stationed near Farahabad, killing the customs chief and stealing wives and belongings of the men by sea, the Persian government sought to reinforce its forces in the Caspian Sea.[6] A Persian military procurement agent in Germany was ordered to buy a vessel,[6] and in 1923, Fatiya was purchased by Iran for a reported fee of £4,000.[1][2] The government then armed her with a 48 mm canon and a 37 mm heavy machine gun, and hired a skilled Persian-Armenian marine in the German service to bring her via Volga to Enzeli.[6]
The Soviet Union refused to let Persia pass the vessel through Volga because it was "inconsistent with Soviet interests".[6] The Persians decided to disarm the ship and send it as a civilian ship, while its armaments were diverted and passed via a different route. However, the Russians refused entry again, but offered to provide the Persian government with its vessels to fight contraband.[6] Although the denial of the vessel was not against the Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship, it was described as "an act of bad faith and ill will".[6]
She was eventually brought to serve in the Persian Gulf.[6] In 1926, she was renamed Pahlavi[3] after the royal name.[6] She was renamed Shahin in 1935[3] after a bird after being judged unworthy of carrying the Shah's name.[6]
^ abcdefghijMcMurtrie, Francis E., ed. (1940), "Iran", Jane's Fighting Ships, Jane's Information Group, p. 246, ASINB0013B61EO
^ abcdefghijMcMurtrie, Francis E., ed. (1938), "Iran", Jane's Fighting Ships, Jane's Information Group, p. 256, ASINB000C4006S
^ abcdGardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). "Persia". Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. p. 409. ISBN0-85177-146-7.
^ abcdDodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020), "Ships and Fates", Spoils of War: The Fate of Enemy Fleets after the Two World Wars, Seaforth Publishing, p. 139, ISBN9781526741998
^Gröner, Erich (2010), Alle deutschen Kriegsschiffe von 1815–1936, Salzwasser-Verlag, p. 124, ISBN9783861953913