The political terms of Iran and Britain in the contemporary history of Iran (from the era of Qajar to Reza Khan)

During the period of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar

Primarily from the government of Britain a person named ``Sir Harford Jones’’ in the spring 1224 lunar/1809 for the second time came to Iran and succeeded in ratification of a written agreement with Shah which caused none of the European countries to have a permit to pass from Iran to reach India. This agreement was more for the fear of Frenchmen to attack India. The Britain government also committed to formalize the governance of Iran on the Persian Gulf and in the case of attack of one of the countries even United Kingdom, the government of Britain will provide the military assistance… In the July 1810, the government of England determined an ambassador named ``Gore Ouseley’’ in Iran that came along with ``Mirza Abolhassan Khan Ilchi’’ to Iran. Likewise the jury of British officers under the president ship of ``Major Christie’’ after entry to Iran carried out the strengthening of the matters and the Iranian stabilities in the Aras River sort and as well indoctrinate of the military tactic to the army of Abbas Mirza. Major Christie later forced Fath-Ali Shah to sign the Treaty of Golestan because in 1812 Britain and Russia tied a friendly agreement. On the other hand, the empowered ambassador of Britain MacDonald had a very important role in the signature of the Turkamanchay Treaty.

During the period of (Naser al-Din Shah) and Amir Kabir

After the occupancy of Ashuradeh Island via Turkmen (that as per most of the historians, this task took place with provocation of the Britishers) and the massacre of the Russian soldiers, the historians believe that `Amir Kabir’ in order to prevent the influence of Russians on Iran and on the other hand the presence of danger that threatened Iran via Ottomans inevitably provided a privilege to Britain due to which the Britishers were granted a period of 11 years for a plea to obstruct the slave-merchandise conduct investigation of the ships in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman that are accounted in the gateways of western India.

Paris peace treaty (1857)

When British with provocation caused a conflict among the Afghan emperors through espionage and on the other hand the Iran empowers with the leadership provoked Hessam os-Saltaneh to attack Herat (Afghanistan) and Hessam os-Saltaneh seized Herat that eventually lost and the outcome was that with the mediation of France (Third Napoleon) the peace treaty was established. In the assessment of this agreement it can be mentioned that Britishers reached their 50 year ambition since Iran did not accept to not have any claim in relation to Herat and Afghanistan and solemnize its freedom and immediately summon its branches from that zone and provided Bandar Abbas and Chah-bahar on rent for a period of twenty years to the King of Muscat and Britishers also bounded to evacuate their branches from the miscellaneous regions and gave them back to Iran. (For more information, refer to The History of Political terms of Iran and Britain, Mahmood Mahmood, Vol. 2 and 3).
The invention of telegraph line in Iran and its outcome
In the midst of 19th century (i.e. in 1864) the Britain succeeded to invent telegraph line of London – India via Iran and Persian Gulf, in addition to the fact that the commercial activities of different British companies in Iran increased and the Britishers could achieve several privileges. Although in the prime viewpoint the invention of telegraph line appears a measure separate from the political, economical and social issues of Iran and its terms with England, but it was accompanied with long-term goals of Britain in the different political, economical and martial aspects wherein the origin of the reformations and its impacts turned mainly harmful for Iran that a few of the positive and negative influences of it are addressed as follows:
- The beginning point of relation of Iran in its new form with European states and thenceforth affiliation of Iran with League of Nations, however, The Lord Curzon used to mention: if telegraph would have not come to Iran, Iran would have been swallowed via Russians.
- The linkage of Iran centre with other regions was established and the possibility to control insurgents in different regions was availed.
- It led to the promotion of interrelationships between Iran and England, in a manner that the administrators of telegraph houses had frequentation with people and in the native contentions was mandated and with the doctor on the ways and with acquisition of useful news and information from the people the telegraph houses were gradually converted to secure bonds and the British position owners with masses had the consultation verdict.
- Use of the native information for solving the border conflicts (like information of Cold Smith between Iran and Kalat government and proposal of borderline between the two countries, via Britain, acquisition of required information through England in order to separate Herat and Afghanistan from Iran and even the southeast region of Iran.
- The discovery of huge oil resources is itself one of the biggest outcomes of this line.

Reuter concession (1872)

Naser al-Din Shah with the recommendation and insistence of British appointed ``Mirza Hosein Khan Sepahsalar’’ as the chancellor. He had founded the basis of his politics on the cooperation with England because in the 25th July 1872 he signed a contract with the representative ``Baron Julius de Reuter’’ a British financier for the installation of railroad from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf and customs office and total extraction of the mines viz. collier, petroleum, iron and lead and its summarization states that the entire resources of the national wealth of Iran with an easy condition was assigned to this person for a period of 70 years.

1890 agreement or the Tobacco Rẻgie

In 1890 and during the period of Naser al-Din Shah the privilege of the total members having total supervision on the production, sale and export of Iran tobacco was given to a privileged British (Major Talbot) that this affair itself signified the sale of Iran to aliens and in their peak was considered as England. The opposition groups with concession included the following:
1- The Russian representatives and inspectors and the Iranians attached to them.
2- The trades-people selling tobacco and others that was approximate of the Iranian population.
3- The clergymen scholars and a number of Iranian homeland lovers like Sayyid Jamal al-Din Asadabadi and others.
Few of the important effects and outcomes of the Tobacco movement (1890)
1- It is accounted as the prime successful movement of people in the contemporary history of Iran.
2- This event brought about a turning point in the financial history of Iran that led to acquisition of loans from Britain and thenceforth more loans from Russia.
3- It ended up in alterations in the Big Britain and Russian matters in Iran in a manner that Britain admonished and even Russia supported the revolution.
4- With the failure of this privilege, the Britishers enthusiasm to invest in Iran reduced.
5- The victory of movement in the regional and even global level encountered a high importance in a way that from the regional viewpoint it was regarded as a militant standard.
6- Due to the effect of this movement Russians and Britishers left their deep rooted competition and in order to reap more benefits got coordinated.
7- The most important of all was the factor of presence of masses and scholars in the warfare scene and it was determined that if masses conduct a total support and compliance with their spiritual and religious leaders, the brighter results would be obtained.

The oil treaty of 1901 and treaty of 1907

With the support of Sir Henry Drummond Wolff (the representative of Britain in Iran during the era of Naser al-Din Shah) and his guidance and recommendation William Knox D’Arcy succeeded to conclude the popular oil treaty in 1901. Similarly with betake of Wolf the 1907 treaty of Britain and Russia and as a result the division of Iran to the regions accessible by Russia and Britain took place and accordingly the country of Britain strengthened its dominant position for its benefits.
The role of England in the constitutional revolution: 1906 – 1911
The Britishers endeavour was to interfere in the movement arrays and change the divergence of revolution jurisdiction for their benefit and could as well strengthen its dominancy on Iran against the competition of Russians…..and

1919 treaty of Iran and Britain

Among the caretaker of Sykes the empowered minister of Britain (and the author of the Iran history book two volumes) and Vossug ed Dowleh was signed. This in turn caused an enormous wave of opposition among the masses and scholars and even the big authorities and eventually Seyed Zia’eddin Tabatabaee who himself was the devoted bead of Britain announced it annulled.

The role of England in the 1299 coup d’etat of Reza Khan

That is briefly addressed in the next discussion.
B- The main reason for the upcoming of Reza Khan via Britishers can be summarised as follows:
- The obstruction of Britain from the influential development of Russian Marxists to Iran and the other point with the two effectual modes primarily the martial power and the other with reconstructive and welfare implementations and indulgence of Nationalistic moral.
- Propensity of England for creation of a political center in Iran in order to reach its vital benefits.
- The exit of colonialism mode from its old mould and the prevalence of new and novel colonialism.
- The success of Reza Khan in repression of this era’s insurgences (such as road, pessian, jungle, Dashtestans, Tangestans and others)
- It was regarded that Iran had suffered from insecurity and effort of Britain on this task, in a manner that it led to formation of a needed field.
- The creation of a secure and peaceful environment for the safeguard of its assets (England), the training of an expert or specialist cadre and etc……

References

1- Mahdavi, Abdolreza Houshang, The history of foreign terms of Iran, Amir Kabir, Vol. I, pp. 216-217.
2- For more information, R. K, Mahmood Mahmood, The history of political terms of Iran and Britain – Vol. II, pp. 457-459.
3- Mahdavi, Abdolreza Houshang, The same basis, pp. 275-276.
4- R. K. Verahram, Gholamreza, The administrative, social and political organizations of Qajar era, pp. 217 onwards.