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File 200/1928 Pt 10 'Persia: Anglo-Persian Relations. Treaty Negotiations' [‎29r] (58/868)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (432 folios). It was created in 24 Jan 1934-5 Aug 1936. It was written in English. 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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3
circumstances, to be treated with complete equality. Their sensitiveness and
suspiciousness are, of course, in the highest degree unreasonable, but they are
characteristic of a nation in this particular stage of development. I have met
with instances no less absurd in Latvia and Lithuania. Past experience has
shown that nothing but ill-feeling and opposition is produced by provoking these
^ sentiments, and the inconclusive result of our negotiations hitherto must, in
large measure, be attributed to incidents from some cause which has its roots
in the former period of inequality. I genuinely feel that as long as there remains
an avoidable chance of awakening these sentiments no permanent progress can
be made. On the other hand I am far from advocating a policy of general
acquiescence in all Iranian demands. Where those demands are extravagant and
where our rights are unimpeachable, the utmost firmness is the only salutary
course, f f ee l that in the long run Iran herself would recognise this.
9. 1 he policy then can be defined as one of general sympathy with Iran’s
legitimate aspirations, acquiescence in her reasonable claims to final emancipation
from her former unequal position, coupled with absolute firmness in the face of
any extravagant pretensions. This may lead to understanding and co-operation
whereas the opposite course can only mean prolongation of distrust and friction
and at the best political stalemate.
10. Let me now venture to examine the application of the principle thus
defined to the main objects of our policy as summarised in an earlier paragraph.
Our position in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. seems naturally to demand prior attention,
embodying as it does all aspects of our interests in Iran, aerial, naval, Indian
and general. If the situation to-day is compared with that at the end of the
war it will be seen that our authority in the Gulf has been shifting steadily and
unremittingly from the Iranian to the Arab side; our hold on the former has
relaxed almost to vanishing point, on the latter it has strengthened and must
continue to do so; our stake on the Iranian side may be important potentially, on
the Arab side it is actual and vital. The transfer of the air route and of the
naval bases sets the seal upon this development. So long as Iran remains united
and nationally conscious there can be no turning back. Owing to the abnormal
circumstances in which our former hold on the Iranian side was established it has
been impossible to resist this political coast erosion without reversing our
declared policy towards national awakening. Nor should we gain anything by
resistance—the inevitable result would be the perpetuation of that distrust,
friction and stalemate which would render our position the more insecure in
the Gulf and prejudice our general prestige throughout the Middle East. I am
convinced that, so long as a centralised fower exists in Iran, the old system in
the Gulf is impracticable and even dangerous, while in its concreate form it is
both weakening and undignified. It can carry us no further and will only afford
openings for intrigues on the part of our political competitors.
11 . I have remarked that our stake on the Iranian side is potentially
important. This may be an understatement though it is in any case not so great
as that on the Arab side. I feel that in existing circumstances our interests on
the Iranian side are best served by recognising Iranian claims and withdrawing
what little hold we still maintain before demands are made on us which would
expose the weakness of our position. This policy has of course been followed
almost, but not quite up to the logical limit. It has been carried far enough to
produce a situation in the Gulf which is new and which tends to accentuate
itself. In the light of this development the Gulf can be depicted as a triangle, the
southern side British (and Arab), the northern side Iranian. The interests of
the two, and of Iraq, meet at the apex. Given that the old system has gone and
that its restoration in present circumstances is impossible, this picture of the
position in the Gulf seems to suggest a workable policy. If our interests on
the Iranian side, now that it is entirely in Iranian hands, are best served by the
avoidance of provocation and the cultivation of co-operation, it would appear
desirable to adopt these methods. Indeed the converse seems now to be excluded.
On the Arab side we should proportionately strengthen our authority and
increase our prestige. At the apex, by the establishment of joint Anglo-Iraqi-
Iranian control of the waterways we would achieve co-operation which should go
far to secure the future and should also maintain a point of contact by means
of which an undeclared influence and check might be exerted upon Iran and
an element of unity in Gulf affairs as a whole realised. A short time ago, when
the Iraq frontier question was in the hands of an Italian rapporteur at Geneva.
[465 q—2] B 2

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Content

This volume contains correspondence regarding wide-ranging negotiations that took place between the Persian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British Legation in Tehran, the aim of which was the agreement of a bilateral treaty between the British and Persian [Iranian] governments in order to resolve a number of outstanding issues including the status of Basidu.

In addition to correspondence, the volume contains the following documents:

  • 'Speech by His Imperial Majesty the Shah at the Majlis on the Day of its Reopening for the Tenth term, Khordad 5, 1314 June 6,1935); (folio 34)
  • 'Memorandum by Mr. Eden upon a Conversation at Geneva on May 22, 1935, with M. Kazemi, the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs, respecting Anglo-Persian relations' (folio 45)
  • 'Anglo-Persian Relations. Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen's conversation with Persian Minister.' (folios 119-122)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of a meeting of the Sub-Committee held at No. 2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.1. on Thursday, 25th October, 1934, at 3.30 p.m.' (folios 130-137)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of the Thirty-fifth meeting of the Sub-Committee, held at No. 2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.1., on Friday, October 12th, 1934, at 3,30 p.m.' (folios 151-168)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Ministerial Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Bahrein. Memorandum by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.' (folio 169)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of a meeting of the Sub-Committee held in the Room of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, House of Commons, S.W.1, on Monday, June 11th, 1934, at 4.0 p.m.' (folios 261-276)
  • 'Relations with Persia. Admiralty Memorandum', 1934 (folios 284-289)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Ministerial Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Persian Policy. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for India', 1934 (folios 290-291)
  • 'Persia. Memorandum by Sir R. Vansittart' Foreign Office, 1934 (folios 316-317)
  • 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. Minutes of a meeting of the Sub-Committee held in Conference Room 'A', No. 2, Whitehall Gardens, SW1, on Friday, May 4th, 1934, at 3.45 p.m.' (folios 355-378)
  • 'Proposed Anglo-Persian General Treaty. Position reached on January 17, 1934' (folios 417-431).

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (432 folios)
Arrangement

The subject 200 (Anglo-Persian Treaty Negotiations) consists of eight volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/1250-1257. The volumes are divided into ten parts, with parts 1 and 2 comprising one volume, parts 3, 4 and 5 comprising one volume each, parts 6 and 7 comprising the fifth volume, and parts 8, 9 and 10 comprising one volume each.

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 433; 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 200/1928 Pt 10 'Persia: Anglo-Persian Relations. Treaty Negotiations' [‎29r] (58/868), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1257, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066374630.0x00003d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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