IOR/L/PS/20/FO26

The volume consists of published copies of correspondence between the Foreign Office, the India Office, the Government of India, the Admiralty, the Treasury, British administrative and diplomatic staff, foreign governments and their staff, and private companies and individuals. It was printed for use by the Foreign Office.

The volume contains the following publications:

• ‘Part XVII. Further Correspondence Respecting the Affairs of Persia. January to March 1909.’ (ff 4-188)
• ‘Part XVIII. Further Correspondence Respecting the Affairs of Persia. April to June 1909.’ (ff 189-443)
• ‘Part XIX. Further Correspondence Respecting the Affairs of Persia. July to September 1909.’ (ff 444-689)
• ‘Part XX. Further Correspondence Respecting the Affairs of Persia. October to December 1909.’ (ff 690-803).

The correspondence primarily concerns events in Persia [Iran], with particular attention paid to: the Persian Constitutional Revolution, including the seizure of various towns and cities by Nationalist revolutionaries; the occupation of Bushire [Bushehr] by a British Royal Navy force; the encirclement of the Nationalist-controlled city of Tabriz by the Shah’s forces; Russian military intervention in Persia, including the dispersal of the Shah’s forces around Tabriz and occupation of the city; the advance on Tehran by Nationalist forces; the abdication of Mohamed Ali Shah [Muḥammad ‘Alī Mīrzā], and the appointment of his son Ahmad [Aḥmad Shāh Qājār] as Shah of Persia; proposals by the Russian and British governments for improving road security; improvements and repairs made to infrastructure in Persia; the financial affairs of the Persian Government; intelligence regarding German military and commercial influence in Persia and the Persian Gulf; the acquisition and exploitation of concessions in Persia by European companies; the activities of the newly formed Anglo-Persian Oil Company; and relations between the British Government and the Shaikh of Mohammerah [Khorramshahr].

The correspondence also covers: proposals for the extension of the telegraph network in the Persian Gulf; the repair and improvement of British buildings at Bassidu [Basaidu]; and increases to the number of gun salutes given to the shaikhs of Mohammerah, Kuwait, and Bahrain by the Government of India.

Material written in French is present throughout the volume. This material primarily consists of diplomatic correspondence between British, Persian, Russian, and French officials. A letter written in Persian using Latin script appears on folio 534. A table of contents is included before each publication.