Great Powers in Iran
1890 - 1977
Tobacco Rebellion
A. 1890: Tobacco concession to British
B. Shiraz protests, 1891
‒ Led by Hajj Shirazi (cleric) and Seyyed Jamal adDin “al-Afghani”
C. 1892: concession cancelled
D. Aftermath: Russia gained, UK lost influence
E. Russian loans
– 1900-1902: Qajar minister Amin as-Soltan meets
with Russians to procure loans
Constitutional Revolution
A. Russian defeat in Ruso-Japanese War 1905
– Russians unable to lend money to Qajars
B. A constitution (mashruteh) and a parliament
(Majlis)
C. New shah, Mohammad al Shah, 1907
Anglo-Russian Entente
A. Signed in 1907 without involving Iran in
negotiations
B. Dividing Iran up into three pieces
Anglo-Russian Entente, 1907
D’Arcy Concession
A. British granted oil concession, 1901
B. Discovery of oil at Masjed Suleiman, 1908
C. Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC)
Masjed Suleiman
William Knox D’Arcy
World War I
A. German role: Wassmuss the “German
Lawrence”
B. British “secret” deals with Russia
C. Sir Percy Sykes and the South Persia Rifles,
1916-1917
D. End of the War, 1919 Anglo-Persian Treaty
Iran’s “Roaring” Twenties
A. Soviet influence
– Kuchek Khan and the Bolsheviks
– A Persian Soviet Socialist Republic?
B. Enter the USA, 1920
– Qajars need a new loan
– Standard Oil in the North
C. Reza Khan
– British-supported (General Ironside) rise of Reza
Khan in the Cossack Brigades
– Reform: Seyyed Zia and Reza Khan annul the
Anglo-Persian Treaty
– 26 Feb 1921: the Russo-Iranian Treaty
D. US and UK response
– Millspaugh Mission
Pahlavi Iran
A. 1925: Reza Khan formally becomes Shah
– Qajars ousted
B. “Modernization from above”
C. APOC concession annulled 1932
D. UK pressure for a new contract
– 1933 new concession
World War II
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Sour relations with British over APOC
An alliance with Germany?
1941 British-Soviet Invasion
Reza Shah abdicates
1942 Tripartite Treaty
Second Millspaugh Mission
1944 Majlis outlaws foreign oil concessions
Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran
“The Persian Corridor”
Post-WWII
A. First crisis of Cold War
– Soviet troops remain in Azerbaijan Province
B. The end of Soviet influence
– Truman pressures the Soviets
– Ahmad Qavam’s empty promise
– 1946 Soviet agreement
– Soviets leave Iran in May 1946
Mossadeq & Nationalization
A. The National Front
B. Gen. Ali Razmara becomes Prime Minister
– Assassinated 17 Mar 1951
C. Majlis votes Mossadeq as new PM
– 29 Apr 1951
D. Nationalization of AIOC
E. Worldwide boycott of Iran
After the Nationalization
A. Shah replaces Mossadeq with Qavam
B. Mossadeq returns
– Declares “state of emergency”
Mossadeq returns
After the Nationalization
A. Shah replaces Mossadeq with Qavam
B. Mossadeq returns
– Declares “state of emergency”
C. Operation AJAX
– 28 Mordad / August 19, 1953
D. Mohammad Reza Shah regains power
Mohammad Reza Shah
A. Ending the Oil Crisis
– 1954 Oil Consortium
B. Reforms and modernization
– Creation of security forces: SAVAK
C. The White Revolution
– Khomeini: “White Revolution is a serious threat
to Islam”
– Exiled 1964
“Policeman of the Gulf”
A. Image of a “strongman”
B. Nixon Doctrine and the “Twin Pillars”
– “Unlimited” quantities of nonnuclear weapons
– IBEX and the surveillance of the Soviet Union
– Fighting communism in the Persian Gulf
C. The Shah’s OPEC speech
– OPEC as a price-setter
– 1974 Petroleum Law