Abstract: The file concerns the territorial status of a number of islands in the Persian Gulf. The issue arose in response to a request from the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Limited to the Foreign Office in 1938 concerning the extent of Iranian (generally referred to as Persian) territory, in order that the company could choose the precise location of the 100,000 square mile oil concession granted to them by the Iranian Government.The islands principally concerned are Tamb (also referred to as Tumb and Tunb), Little Tamb (also referred to as Nabiya Tunb), Abu Musa, Farur, Little Farur (also referred to as Nabiya Farur), Sirri, Arabi, and Farsi.The papers include correspondence from the Foreign Office describing the position of the British Government with regard to the status of each island; the question of whether to offer an ex gratia payment to the Shaikh of Sharjah in respect of any oil found at Sirri, September-October 1938; papers concerning the extent of Iranian territorial waters and the issue of offshore oil fields, including comments by the Petroleum Department, 1938; and the flying of the flag of the Shaikh of Ras al Khaima over Tamb Island, 1942.The file also includes India Office confidential prints dated 1928 relating to the status of some of the islands concerned.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 77; 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 2-33; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Abstract: The volume contains papers relating to the ownership and sovereignty of the islands of Tamb and Abu Musa (and Little Tamb and Sirri) in the Persian Gulf, and negotiations for a general treaty between the United Kingdom and Persia [Iran]. The papers mainly consist of correspondence and India Office Political and Secret Department minute papers.Most of the volume concerns the seizure of a dhow [sailing vessel] from Debai [Dubai] (according to the reports of British officials) near the island of Tamb (also spelled Tunb and Tanb in the volume) by Persian customs officials. The British Government considered the island of Tamb to be owned by the Shaikh of Ras al Khaimah, and the papers discuss the expectation of the Trucial Shaikhs that Britain should take action against Persia, in accordance with Britain’s Treaty obligations to the Trucial Shaikhs. Thus, the papers also concern: the British Government’s claim for compensation from the Persian Government for the Trucial Shaikhs and the passengers of the dhow; the response of the Persian Government that Tamb was Persian territory and that therefore this incident took place in Persian territorial waters, and that the dhow was carrying smuggled goods; and the proposal that the British Government should immediately pay 5,000 rupees from Indian revenues as compensation to those affected by the Tamb incident, in anticipation of any settlement of the claim against Persia.The Tamb incident raised the general question of the claim of the Trucial Shaikhs to the islands of Tamb and Abu Musa (the latter of which was considered by the British Government to be owned by the Shaikh of Sharjah) as well as Little Tamb and Sirri. Thus the volume also includes: papers relating to an article drafted by the British Government for inclusion in a forthcoming general treaty with Persia, under which Persia would withdraw its claim to Tamb, Little Tamb, and Abu Musa, in return for the Trucial Jowasimi [Qawasim] Shaikhs relinquishing their claim to Sirri; and negotiations between the British Government and the Persian Government about this and other issues, as part of the general treaty negotiations with Persia.The main correspondents are as follows: the India Office; the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf; the Admiralty; the Government of India Foreign and Political Department; the Foreign Office; the Commander in Chief, East Indies; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Colonial Office; HM Chargé d’Affaires, Tehran, and HM Minister, Tehran.The volume also includes a copy of the India Office memorandum ‘Status of the Islands of Tamb, Little Tamb, Abu Musa, and Sirri.’, by John Gilbert Laithwaite, dated 24 August 1928.In addition, the volume includes the following items in French: correspondence between Sir Robert Clive, HM Minister at Tehran, and Abdolhossein Teymourtache [Teymūrtāsh], the Persian Minister of Court, dated January to March 1930; correspondence between Clive and Mirza Mohamed Ali Khan Feroughi, the Persian Minister of Foreign Affairs, dated 9 August and 21 October 1930, and an Aide-mémoire by the British Legation at Tehran, dated 21 October 1930.The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 532; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.A previous foliation sequence between ff 193-532, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.
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)