IOR/R/15/2/149

The file concerns the seizure of, or interference with, Arab merchant vessels (dhows, jolly-boats, booms) by ships of the Iranian Navy, and the Iranian (often referred to as the Persian) authorities. The pretext was generally the prevention of smuggling.

The correspondence is mainly between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Political Agent, Bahrain; and the Residency Agent, Sharjah. There is also some correspondence from Gulf rulers. Enclosed or forwarded correspondence includes correspondence from the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf (SNOPG); HM Minister, Tehran; the Political Agent, Kuwait; the India Office; the Foreign Office; and other British officials in the region.

The papers include: reports of individual cases of seizure of boats from Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah, Muscat, Bahrain, and elsewhere, including statements by crew members, and naval messages issued by the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf; activities of the Iranian Navy gunboats Palang and Babr; British emphasis on the need for Gulf rulers to ensure that their subjects were carrying the correct registration papers and flying their national flag, November 1933 and September 1934, and to report cases of interference as quickly as possible, November 1934 - March 1935; discussion by British officials of the Iranian right of search, March 1937; the recommendation that the Rulers of Muscat, Kuwait and Bahrain should withdraw certain rights of search conferred on the Persian Government in 1898 and 1900, and that such rights should be allowed solely to British naval vessels, July - August 1937; and the implications of the seizure at Khorramshahr of a Bahrain dhow flying the Bahrain flag, in view of the Persian claim to Bahrain, September - November 1937. The dates given refer to main, chronologically-filed items of correspondence, which may include enclosures of an earlier date.

The Arabic language content of the file consists of approximately twenty-five individual items of correspondence, with English translations (mainly letters from the Political Resident; the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; and Gulf rulers). There are also approximately three items of correspondence in Persian (with English translations).

The date range gives the covering dates of the main items of correspondence. The earliest dated document is an enclosure to the first item of correspondence, dated 8 April 1933.