IOR/L/PS/20/MM12

The volume contains monthly memoranda of information received ‘relating to affairs in Persia [Iran], and on the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf’ for the months of January-September 1910, and a memorandum of information received ‘relating to affairs in Persia’ for the month of October 1910.

Key subjects covered include:

• Political affairs in Persia in the context of the Constitutional Revolution, including: discussions around British and Russian loans to the Persian Government and the conditions thereof; activities of the Persian Government and the Mejliss [Majlis, Parliament]; the presence of Russian and British troops in Persia; insecurity on roads and the proposed establishment of road guards controlled by British and Russian consuls
• Reports on the political and security situation in Persian provinces, including Azerbaijan, Arabistan [Khuzestan], Fars, Kerman, Seistan [Sistan], and Khorassan [Khorasan]
• British commercial interests in Persia, including: shipping on the Karun river; a proposed irrigation scheme on the Kerkha [Karkheh] river; proposed road, railway, and telegraph concessions; and activities of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC)
• British relations with local rulers in the Persian Gulf
• The activities of other foreign powers in the region, including: the activities of Russian consuls and other foreign diplomats in Persia; mining of red oxide on Abu Musa island by the German firm Wonckhaus and Company; the seizure of a Maskat [Muscat] dhow by Italian forces at Hafun; activities of United States missionaries; a Dutch irrigation concession on the Karun; the use of foreign flags by local dhows; and the employment of foreign functionaries by the Persian Government
• Turkish [Ottoman] activity and military presence in the region, and Turkish relations with British authorities, local rulers, and tribes
• Arms traffic in the Gulf, with details of arms captured by British forces and military and diplomatic measures to restrict the trade
• Alleged cases of ‘piracy’ in Fuwairat [Fuwayrit] and Kuwait
• Affairs in Nejd [Najd] and Central Arabia, in particular conflict between Bin Saud [Ibn Sa‘ūd] and Bin Rashid [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin Mit‘ib al-Rashīd], and both sides’ respective relationship with Shaikh Mubarak [Shaikh Mubārak bin Ṣabāḥ Āl Ṣabāḥ] of Kuwait
• The murder of the Shaikh of Ajman [Shaikh ‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin Ḥumayd al-Nu‘aymī] and his succession by his son [Shaikh Ḥumayd bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz al-Nu‘aymī].

There are tables of contents for each memorandum.