File 4535/1928 Pt 8 ‘ – PERSIAN GULF – QUESTION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTORATES OVER KOWEIT, BAHREIN, MUSCAT, TRUCIAL COAST.’ [‎75r] (143/194)

+ Teh. Desp. 65, April 26
1910, P. 3539/10.
|| Letter to G. of I
Dec. 3 1922.
894 S..
23. Early in 1910 the Persian Government assimilated the formalities to
be fulfilled in the case of persons visiting Bahrein to those prescribed in
the case of travellers to Persian ports, a measure which, as pointed out by
^the Foreign Office at the time, constituted a fresh attempt to assert Persian
Wereignty over the Island4 It was agreed that, in view of the desirability
of avoiding raising of the general question, no protest should be made.
2-1. In July 1910 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. reported|t that internal Persian tt P 3655 /io.
•coastal passes issued to Persians proceeding to Bahrein from Persian ports
were visaed by a Persian merchant residing in Bahrein, who was also in the
habit of issuing similar passes (“ llm-o-khabar ”) to Persians proceeding
from Bahrein to Persian ports, and His Majesty’s Government approved a
proposal that the merchant in question, Abdul Xabi, should be expelled ,
from the Island.§ For various reasons it proved necessary to suspend action Tehran ’ 219,
on this authority, but in 1912 Abdul Nabi was forbidden to take any action
in regard to the endorsement of passes held by Persian subjects for travel in Min^LrTehmt
Bahrein. I he endorsements in question were, however, thenceforth granted Jan. 22 1913, p. 801 / 13 . ’
by 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. , a practice, as pointed out by 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.
nine years ]aterJ| “of itself open to objection, as it might be construed
into a tacit admission that the Persian passport authorities are justified in
giving passes for another Persian port to persons going to Bahrein.”
25. Efforts made by His Majesty’s Government in 1913 to secure Persian
recognition of our right to protect Bahreinis and subjects of the Trucial
Chiefs as a condition precedent to the granting to Persia of the loan then
under negotiation proved unavailing.'^' ** Teh. Desp. to f.o., no
May 13 1913, P. 2531/;3.
(b) 1922-1927.
20. There were no fresh developments of importance until after the war.
In the year 1922 His Britannic Majesty’s Consul at Bandar Abbas reported
that the Persian passport officials at Lingah,* :!: * at which port British India
-Steam Navigation Company’s vessels put in from Bahrein, had ruled that
Bahreinis were Persian subjects and should be given Persian passports.
They seized two British certificates of identity granted to Bahrein subjects,
but on representations being made by the Minister at Tehran, instructions
were given by the Central Government that there was to be no repetition of seTi 0 i 927
this incident. In the same year, His Majesty’s Minister suggested that
Persians going to Bahrein should be required to obtain British visas
or passes, and should be turned back if thev had not got them, a procedure
— ^ t . 1 .
# Pol. Res. to G. of I., H)9(
June 10 1922, P. 2787/22.
P. 2967/22.
Para. 62 of Pol. Res.
Desp. to G. of I. Xo. 294 S.
was recommended by 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. , who
the adoption of which
regarded it as feasible. It was subjected accordingly to examination by
the Government of India and the Foreign Office, with the results shown
below. In 1922 also the Persian delegate at a Postal Conference held at
O ^ -»A V_/X VA CIKj
Bushire, while not for the moment pressing for the transfer to Persia of the t Tei.from Poi. Res. tod
post office, stated that his action was without prejudice to Persian F.a letter E i!wim 7 i/ 3 ^
Bahrein post
•claims to Bahrein.')'
P. 90/23.
27. At about the same time a Press campaign for the return of Bahrein
to Persia and for its direct representation in the Majlis was started in the
Persian papers. This discussion culminated in a motion in the Majlis to
give Bahrein the right to return a Member, a demand for the immediate
discussion of which was rejected, but which was referred to a Commission
for report4 His Majesty’s Government, in the light of this development, : Teh. tei. 112, April 17
decided that it was desirable to instruct the Minister at Tehran to address a 1923 '
formal Note to the Persian Government, in terms similar to those employed
in 1906, and considered the question of asking the Admiralty to despatch a
vessel to show the Flag in the neighbourhood of Bahrein. The Government
of India concurred in the action proposed, and expressed the view that, if a
Note was presented, the withdrawal of passport measures should be included,
remarking (doubtless with the proposals on the subject of the Minister at
Tehran in mind) that, whether a Note was presented or not, they saw no
objection to retaliatory measures requiring visitors to Bahrein to take out a
British visa.§ ^ 1 hey added, however, that the critical internal situation in § Tei. from Viceroy, May 29
Persia made it doubtful whether the present moment was opportune for 192 »> p - 2039/23.
action. At about the same time the Persian Government instructed its