Abstract: This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding the territorial status of a number of small islands in the Persian Gulf and their potential for oil exploration. In particular, the status of the islands of Farsi, Arabi and Harqus is discussed at length.In addition to correspondence, the file contains the following:India Office memorandum from 1928 entitled 'Status of certain Groups of Islands in the Persian Gulf' (folios 197-198)'Oil Board. The expropriation by the Mexican Government of the properties of the Oil Companies in Mexico. Memorandum by the Petroleum Department' (folios 112-119)'Great Britain: Principal Sources of Oil Supply: the outputs of Crude Oil of those countries, their relationship to World Output, during the years 1935, 1936 and 1937; and the Maximum allocations to these sources in an Emergency' (folio 120)Hand-drawn map of the Persian Gulf showing the islands of Farsi, Arabi, Harqus and Qran (folio 78).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.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 230; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-21 and between ff 62-229; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Abstract: This part contains papers relating to the status of certain islands in the Persian Gulf. A large proportion of the papers concern the policy to be adopted by the British Government (as decided by the Persian Gulf Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence) in relation to islands in the Persian Gulf whose ownership by Persia [Iran] had not been established (in the view of the British Government). These islands included Farsi, Arabi, Harqus and Qran.The papers mainly consist of correspondence and India Office Political and Secret Department minute papers. The main correspondents are as follows: the India Office; the Foreign Office; HM Chargé d’Affaires, Tehran, and HM Minister Tehran (Sir Robert Henry Clive); the Acting Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs; the Admiralty; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Colonial Office; and the Government of India Foreign and Political Department.The papers also include printed copies of India Office memoranda by John Gilbert Laithwaite entitled ‘Status of certain Groups of Islands in the Persian Gulf.’ (27 August 1928), and ‘Status of the Islands of Tamb, Little Tamb, Abu Musa, and Sirri.’ (24 August 1928).Physical description: 1 item (102 folios)