IOR/L/PS/18/C193

This file consists of a Foreign Office memorandum concerning the policy of His Majesty's Government towards Persia at the forthcoming peace conference [the Paris Peace Conference of 1919-20]. In its introduction the memorandum states that His Majesty's Government must be prepared for the eventuality of the question of Persia arising, either directly or indirectly, at the conference. The memorandum makes suggestions for British policy on this matter. The suggestions are divided into three sections – political, general, and economic – and are related to specific issues.

The first section addresses the following political concerns: the independence and integrity of Persia (the memorandum advises that Britain should seek a mandate to provide financial, administrative, and military assistance to Persia), frontiers (the preservation of the status quo is desired), and the Anglo-Russian agreement of 1907 (the memorandum proposes a declaration of annulment by the British Government).

The general concerns are as follows: the position of the Sheikh [Shaikh] of Mohammerah [Khorramshahr, Khūzistān, Iran] (which the Foreign Office wishes to remain the same), flags on the Caspian sea (the memorandum proposes the neutralisation of sea and freedom for use of commercial flags), and the islands in the Persian Gulf (the Foreign Office seeks a renunciation of the Persian Government's claim to Bahrein [Bahrain]).

The third section of the memorandum discusses economic issues. The memorandum suggests that the British Government should endeavour to exclude from the conference questions relating to the Persian customs tariff, railways, finance, telegraphs, British concessions in Persia, and reparation for damage done by belligerents in Persian territory.