IOR/R/15/1/387

The volume contains letters, telegrams, memoranda and reports pertaining to British governmental representation in Arabistan [Khūzestān]. The correspondents include the Political Resident at Bushire, the British Minister at Tehran, the High Commissioner at Baghdad, the British Consul at Mohammerah [Korramshahr], the Vice-Consuls at Ahwaz and Dizful, the Government of India, the India Office and Foreign Office in London, and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

The correspondence was part of a re-evaluation of British representation and expenses in the region following the First World War. The issues discussed included:

• the political status (consul, vice-consul, agent or officer) of offices at Mohammerah, Ahwaz, Dizful, Shushtar, and Burujird [Borūjerd], and whether the responsibility for these offices should be transferred from Mesopotamia (under the Foreign and Colonial Offices) to the Government of India;
• the hierarchy of operations (who answers to whom) within Arabistan itself;
• the scale of operations, including details of costs and salaries;
• the official change of name from Arabistan to Khuzestan.