Anglo-Persian Agreement
The Anglo-Persian Agreement was a document involving Great Britain and Persia centered on drilling rights of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. It was never ratified by the Majlis. This "agreement" was issued by British Foreign Secretary Earl Curzon to the Persian government in August 1919. It stated a guarantee of British access to Iranian oil fields (including five northern provinces formerly under the Russian sphere of influence). In return the British would:
- Supply munitions and equipment for a British-trained army
- Provide a 2 million sterling loan for "necessary reforms"
- Revise the Customs tariff
- Survey and build railroads.
After the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution the Russians reneged on the Sphere of Influence as 'tsarist Imperialism'. Britain was the remaining power in the region. Lord Curzon hoped to make Iran not a protectorate but a client state of Britain and of no other great power.
The document was denounced worldwide as hegemonic, especially in the United States, which also had designs on accessing Iranian oil fields. Eventually, the Anglo-Persian agreement was formally denounced by the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) on June 22, 1921.
See also
External links
- A. R. Begli Beigie (2001-03-27). "Repeating mistakes, Britain, Iran & the 1919 Treaty". The Iranian. Archived from the original on 12 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-28.
- Haghshenas, Seyyed Ali, review of Treaty of 1919, between Iran & Britain. (owjnews Agency)