The previous grievances were sufficient for the three powers to unite against Iyasu and move to depose him. The looming threat of a World War added to this, implying the possibility that the young Emperor might find international support, making the sabotage of the three powers' policies a reality. They had begun to view Iyasu as someone who had "taken the form of a jinn to incite the colonial subjects to revolt at a time when their masters were preoccupied with bloody battles with Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Turkey." The latter two sought to bring Iyasu to their side.

The three powers became convinced of the necessity of getting rid of Iyasu before he consolidated his rule and found international support amidst the European powers' rivalry that led to the First World War. Since March 1914, British reports had been speaking of the growing impression that the prevailing discontent with Iyasu "could lead to an attempt by some of the Shoa leaders to replace him with another candidate more suitable for the throne." It seems that what delayed this arrangement was that the "Shoan" faction was without a leader and without cohesion, and Iyasu had begun to take matters into his own hands.

The efforts of the three powers continued to tarnish the Emperor's image and rally his opponents and those harmed by his policies, especially after Turkey launched a strong propaganda campaign against the Allied powers, directing it at its followers in the Horn of Africa. The three powers sponsored two failed military attempts to depose the young Emperor, and continued to harass his government, sometimes by banning arms and at other times by demanding special treatment for their nationals. These efforts continued throughout 1914 and 1915, with part of them aimed at winning over the Orthodox Church, the third party in the conspiracy, to lend religious support to the coup. Despite the reluctance of Abuna Mathews, the Metropolitan of the Church in Ethiopia, who objected to supporting the Emperor's deposition because there was no convincing evidence of his apostasy to Islam, the representatives of the three powers in Addis Ababa and the aggrieved leaders in Shoa managed to obtain his approval, using one of the priests. Ras George, who was the driving force behind the opposition, was instrumental in this.

In early September 1916, the representatives of the three powers sent a joint memorandum to the Ethiopian government protesting Iyasu's hostile actions and his relationship with the Germans and Turks. They did not forget to attach forged pictures and documents to confirm the main charge leveled against him: apostasy from Christianity and conversion to Islam. The "Abuna" surrendered, freeing the conspirators from their oath of allegiance based on their request, which stated: "We implore you to release us from our oath of allegiance."