IOR/R/15/5/171

This file documents a series of investigations carried out by various British officials into reports of Kuwaiti sailing boats being seized and detained by Iranian authorities. Most of the file consists of copies of telegrams between the following British officers: the Political Resident, Bushire (also serving as British Consul-General); the British Consul, Kerman; the British Minister, Tehran. Other correspondents in the file include the following: the Political Agent, Kuwait; the British Vice-Consul, Khorramshahr; the Ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad al Jabir as Sabah [Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ]; the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The majority of the file is concerned with a case involving a Kuwaiti sailing craft that was reportedly seized by an Iranian warship (an Imperial Iranian Navy ship referred to as HIMS Babr) near Henjam [Henjān] on suspicion of smuggling, and towed to Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh]. Much of the correspondence between British officials is concerned with confirming whether or not the boat was outside Iranian territorial waters when it was seized.

Another case relates to a Kuwaiti boat that was apparently seized by Iranian customs officials at Qusbeh (also referred to as Gusbah) [Qoşbeh-ye Manī‘āt, Khuzestan, Iran], on the Iranian side of the Shatt al Arab. The third and final case concerns a Kuwaiti dhow that was reportedly seized at Khorramshahr.