IOR/L/PS/12/3939

The file contains papers mostly relating to the defence of Abadan (and to a lesser extent other areas of Persia [Iran] and Bahrein [Bahrain]) during the Second World War.

It includes papers concerning the following: the defence of oil installations of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) at Abadan from air attack and sabotage; an order (Regulation 29 BB of the Defence (General) Regulations, 1939) requiring British subjects and British protected persons in Persia to perform civil defence duties at Abadan, in the oilfields and at Kermanshah; the question of the application of the Regulation to Indian and Dominion British subjects; arrangements for the payment of compensation for war injuries to British subjects and British protected persons in Persia engaged in civil defence duties; and the question of compensation for war injuries for Indian employees of the AIOC in Persia.

The papers consist of correspondence and other papers including:

• Minutes of the Security Executive Conference on security of oil installations at Abadan, 19 August 1942, and note by the Chairman, 18 August 1942
• Minutes of a meeting held at the Foreign Office on 31 December 1943 to discuss the application of Regulation 29 BB to Persia
• A copy of an instrument delegating to HM Minister at Tehran powers of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under Regulation 29 BB
• A memorandum of instructions for HM Minister at Tehran on the operation of Defence Regulation 29 BB.

The main correspondents are as follows: the Government of India, External Affairs Department; the Ministry of Fuel and Power, Petroleum Division (formerly the Petroleum Department); the Foreign Office; the Minister of State, Cairo [Minister of State Resident in the Middle East]; and HM Minister, Tehran.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.