The Persian embassy is composed of one ambassador, Husain Ali Beg, and four secretaries (First Secretary Uruch Beg, son of Sultan Ali Beg; the nephew of the ambassador 'Ali Quli Beg; and two others) and led by Shirley.

The plan is to visit eight European courts, with one additional Special Envoy who would stay as the Persian ambassador at the court of Russian Emperor Boris Godunov.

The embassy will effectively meet with three German potentates, and the Italian and Spanish courts, but initial plans to meet with the courts of France, England, Scotland and Poland will be abandoned on the way.

The embassy leaves in July 1599 for Astrakhan.