Shahriyar, greatly angered and feeling offended by the message Muhammad sent him, refused to aid him against the Ismailis.
Muhammad then sent a letter, which requested Shahriyar to send one of his young sons to the Seljuq court in Isfahan.
After his return to Sari, however, he began claiming the Bavand throne for himself, and started abusing his father Shahriyar and his servants.
Ali later went to Marw and joined the Seljuq prince Ahmad Sanjar, the ruler of Khorasan.
Ahmad Sanjar was preparing for an expedition to the west in order to take control of Gorgan, but an attack made by Muhammad Khan on the Seljuq borders, forced Ahmad Sanjar to move east in order to repel Muhammad Khan.