In 1915, Mostowfi ol-Mamalek was removed as prime minister and replaced by Hassan Pirnia. As a result, Sardar Rafi was released from prison and returned to Astarabad. At this time, Russian and British forces, on the one hand, and Ottoman forces, on the other, were fighting in Iran in a campaign called the Persian Campaign. Meanwhile, Sardar Rafi noticed the looting of the northern regions of Iran by Russian forces. He decided to create a force and confront the Russians. He asked the prime minister for weapons, but the government was so weak that it could not help Sardar Rafi. So Sardar Rafi gathered volunteer forces from the people and bought weapons from the tribes around Khorasan. In the first major battle in Maraveh Tappeh, Sardar Rafi's forces faced the Russians. In a few hours of fighting, Sardar Rafi was defeated and forced to retreat. Thus, the Russians conquered Maraveh Tappeh.