'File 12/2 Treatment of Baharna in Persia' [‎130r] (259/440)

(2) That the troubles of these Bahrainis were attributable
chiefly If not wholly to the dispute regarding the
Persian Government's claim to Bahrein, and
(3) That these people would cease to oe molested If
the Persian government could be Induced to renounce
that claim*
4* What does, as pointed out In Foreign Cilice letter
under reference, nullify these assumptions is the fact that by
the Persian Nationality Lav (paragraph 4 of Foreign Office
letter) even If the Persian claim to Bahrain were withdrawn, It
would still be open to the Persian Government to claim Bahrainis
In Persia under the said Law. From another point of view, too,
(Foreign Office letter, paragraph 6)ev*n if the Persian Govern
ment agreed to regard the Bahrainis In Persia as foreigners,
those concerned who own land would lose their me^ns of liveli
hood, since foreigners are not allowed to hold real estate In
Persia*
6* Ther^ is no actual Bahrain Nationality Law. Neverthe
less It may bs assumed that even without such a law Bahrainis
(on the analogy of 'Jus soli') have a claim to be Bahrain
subjects* This, however y does not help very much, since,
whatever their claims may be, as pointed out in paragraph 8 of
Foreign Office letter, most Bahrainis In Persia would be of
dual nationality and while in Persia their master nationality
would have to be Persian*
6* There must be however some Bahrainis who come to
Persia temporarily, like any other foreigner, to seek work
as coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. , small shopkeepers, etc* These individuals would
not/