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'File 3/8 Affairs of Sh. Khaz`als sons.' [‎194r] (387/508)

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The record is made up of 1 file (252 folios). It was created in 15 Mar 1942-17 Aug 1948. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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17
Sir P. Loraine had told him that the most serious danger of friction in South
Persia between Great Britain and Persia would arise from friction between
the latter and the Sheikh and that he believed that a close understanding between
Reza Khan and the Sheikh would directly strengthen the position of Reza Khan
and his Government in Tehran—which would be in accordance with the desires
of His Majesty’s Government; he went further and stated that he wished all
Great Britain’s friends in South Persia to be friends of Tehran and to help
their own Government and for the latter to feel that the south was safe, loyal
and peaceful, so that, should danger arise from other quarters, the south’ could
be relied on.
In replying to Sir P. Loraine’s report on his proceedings, Sir Austen
Chamberlain said :—
E649/136/34/
1925.
I share your view that the policy of His Majesty’s Government in
Persia should be to discourage separatist movements likely to weaken the
central authority of the Persian Government and am of the opinion that the
policy outlined m your despatch of rallying the tribal chieftains of South
Persia to the support of the Persian Government is best calculated to
improve the relations of His Majesty s Government with that Government.
The chieftains themselves will thus be led to realise that their traditional
friendship with His Majesty’s Government is fully compatible with their
duty as loyal Persian subjects.”
Sir P. Loraine was aiming at a final and honourable discharge of His
Majesty s Government’s obligations to the Sheikh so that our future action on e 2100 / 136 /
His benalt could be limited to securing, so far as possible without prejudice to 34/1925.
our relations with the Persian Government, the observance of Reza Khan’s
promises as ^ regards the Sheikh s future position, while continuing to
urge the Sheikh to deal with Reza Khan direct in matters affecting his own
position and authority. Given a correct attitude on the part of the Sheikh
therefore, everything turned upon the good faith of Reza Khan.
The Final Downfall of the Sheikh, 1925.
46. After the Ahwaz meeting, the Sheikh appears to have resigned himself
to the new regime and his main concern was now to retain his properties; but
he was in an uncomfortable position, because, with his loss of prestige, he’ had
become the target for claims by many whom he had dispossessed while at the height
of his power. He informed Reza Khan that he wished to divide his properties
among his sons and travel abroad, but Reza Khan asked him not to leave Persia
and urged him to proceed to Tehran, where his presence would greatly assist in
the regularisation of the position as regards his properties. (Reza Khan may
or may not at this time have been genuinely desirous of arriving at a satis
factory An East India Company trading post. settlement of the Sheikh’s affairs, but it is worthy of note that he subse
quently mentioned to Sir P. Loraine the possibility that the Sheikh would
retire to Iraq, where his presence would be an embarrassment to the Persian
Government; no doubt this consideration played its part in Reza Khan’s anxiety
to persuade the Sheikh to visit Tehran.) The Sheikh, in spite of reassuring
messages from Reza Khan and of Sir P. Loraine’s advice to comply with Reza
Khan s request, was undoubtedly afraid to proceed to the capital. He spoke to the
acting British Consul at Ahwaz on the 18th April about his grievances main
taming that Reza Khan had broken his promises to him and tfiat he could no
longer place any faith in his word; the Sheikh had been advised to rest but if
he went to Tehran he would be worried into his grave and doubted whether he
would ever be allowed to leave the capital; such a journey would be a further
humiliation and he could not go there as a suppliant seeking to regain property
which was his legally. He eventually told Mr. Monypenny that, while he would
not go himself he would send a representative to Tehran J but this decision was
too late, for on the same day he and his son, Abdul Hamid, were arrested by Reza
Khan s orders and taken to Tehran under escort. ^
i fl 47 Q , ^ K1 l an f u g ht t0 justify this new breach of faith as necessitated
by the Sheikh s refusal to proceed to Tehran voluntarily and by the possibility of
his taking up residence in Iraq. To put himself right with Sir P^Loraine^ he
readily agreed to the latter s suggestion that the Sheikh should receive a welcome
on approaching Tehran and should “arrive honourably and in no way under
arrest, and said that a house was being placed at his disposal at which his real
personal friends (though not political agitators) could visit him. Sir P Loraine’s
view was that there were only two alternative methods of dealing with the
[32557] 8
E1572/136/
34/1925.
E2502/136/
34/1925.
E3046/136/
34/1925.
E3407/136/
34/1925.
E3046/136/
34/1925.
D

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Content

This file relates to the heirs of Shaikh Khaz‘al [Khaz‘al bin Jabir bin Merdaw Āl Ka‘bī], the late Arab Shaikh of Mohommerah [Khorramshahr], and their requests for British assistance.

The first few items of correspondence concern Shaikh Khaz‘al's eldest son, Shaikh Chassib bin Khaz‘al [Shaikh Chassib bin Khaz‘al Āl Ka‘bī], who is now living in Iraq and who is reported to have requested permission from the British Embassy at Baghdad to enter Iran (most of the correspondence in this file refers to Iran as Persia), for the purpose of personally pressing his claims to property belonging to his father, which had been sequestered by the late Shah [Reza Shah Pahlavi].

The remainder of the file relates to Shaikh Chassib's brother, Shaikh Abdullah bin Khaz‘al [Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Khaz‘al Āl Ka‘bī], and his wish to return to live in Persia, apparently peacefully, which is treated with suspicion by British officials. Much of the correspondence discusses whether Shaikh Abdullah, who has taken refuge in Kuwait after an unsuccessful attempt to return to live in Persia, should be given a British pension or an allowance, in order to prevent him from attempting to return to Persia, since it is deemed unlikely that he will receive any compensation from the Persian Government for the loss of his father's property.

Also included in the file are a copy of a document from the Combined Intelligence Centre, Iraq, entitled 'The Sheikhdom of Mohammerah A Short History' and a Foreign Office report entitled 'British Relations with Khazal, Sheikh of Mohammerah'.

The principal correspondents are the following: the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait; the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the British Consul, Khorramshahr; the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ; the Secretary of State for India; the Foreign Office; His Majesty's Ambassador, Tehran; His Majesty's Ambassador, Baghdad; the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Ahmed al Jabir As-Subah [Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ]; Shaikh Abdullah bin Khaz‘al.

Extent and format
1 file (252 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the file. Circled serial numbers (red for received correspondence; blue/black for issued correspondence) refer to entries in the notes at the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 254; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Additional foliation sequences, one of which is written in pencil and not circled (between ff 3-131 and ff 143-224), and one of which is written in pencil and circled (between ff 1-253), have been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 3/8 Affairs of Sh. Khaz`als sons.' [‎194r] (387/508), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/178, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030262304.0x0000bc> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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