>  19th c:  British worry about Persia as entre into India; first half of century worry about French; last half about the Russians
>  Qajars are ruling Iran:  
 >  1857:  British bought  concession to build a telegraph line across Iran [to protect their interests in India].
 >  1872:  Baron Julius de Reuter [German-born but a British citizen] for a mere promise of future royalties obtained exclusive right to run the country’s industries, irrigate its farmland, exploit its mineral resources, develop a railroad and streetcar lines, establish a national bank, print its currency.
 >  Local response:  outrage, progressives, merchants, clerics; Russia.  These interests forced Qajar sovereign Nasir ud Din, to revoke the agreement.
 >  But Shah continued to sell off concessions to various British groups and to Russian merchants.
 >  after about 1872 increased dependence on European money and commercial interests: control of railroads, banking, 
 >  1891 he sold the Iranian tobacco industry for 15,000 pounds to British Imperial Tobacco Co.  Every smoker had to buy  it at a shop controlled by British company.
>  1891 tobacco monopoly:  intellectuals and religious elements combined to resist it, strikes, riots.
 >  Coalition of intellectuals, clergy, merchants – even the Shah’s harem – refused to smoke.  Frightened the shah and he backed down, but then had to borrow half a million pounds to compensate the British Imperial company.
 >  1896 he was shot to death.  His son, Muzzaffar was worse; took out more loans from the British.  Anti government riots.
 >  1901:  shah sold right to develop and export natural gas and petroleum for 60 years.  [Wm D’Arcy]  10 years later the British struck oil.
 >  national political consciousness was growing.  Secret societies.  Were reading about the French Revolution; heard about the British losing battles against the Boers in South Africa.  In 1905 Russia lost a war to Japan.
>  constitutional period:  1904 - 1911   
an elite opposition to the monarch
 >  December 1905:  some merchants punished over sugar prices.  Bazaar erupted in protest.  Wanted taxes reduced.  Demanded a national consultative assembly [Majles] to insure that the law is executed equally …  Clerics joined in.  Riots in the streets in 1906.  Eventually rioters were forced into a single compound – 14,000 people – and there they mutually instructed each other on the principles of democracy.  Newspapers were read, speeches, translated works of European philosophers.  Wanted a majles.  Eventually forced the shah to agree.  Drafted a constitution based on Belgium’s.  
 >  Oct 6, 1906 was first meeting of the Majles.  Constitution adopted December 30, 1906 – a week later the shah died.  But the new shaw was scornful.  Also, the movement was too secular and the clerics changed their view:  “Certain people will insist upon religious freedom, which is contrary to the interests of Islam” [p36]
 >  1907 Britain and Russian signed a treaty to divide Iran into respective spheres:  south, north, middle.  Iran was actually divided into spheres of influence:  Russian, British and an intermediate zone where each could compete
 >  1908 shah initiated a campaign of violence against the Majles members.  Gangs of thugs.
 >  1908:  Shah:  [M. Ali Shah] suppresses National assembly by bombarding it; followed by civil war
 >  1909 Shah resigns
 >  1909:  A new, young shah.  Schuster was brought in by the Majles.  But British and Russians were still looting the state and forced him to be removed in 1911.
 >  Dec 25, 1910:  Persians ask Americans to help administer the country, to avoid intervention of Europeans: Schuester is appointed Administraton General; then forced out by Russia in 1911.
 >  1909, 1911, 1912 Russian troops occupy Tabriz and other towns in the north
 >  1911:  National assembly suspended because of Russian pressure; Also Schuester is required to resign
 >  1914-1918:  WWI,  Iran was with Turkey [although officially neutral] and Germany.  After the war chaos 
 >  Early 20th C. race for dominance of the seas bn Britain and Germany .  First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchil, decided to shift from coal to oil to power the British fleet:  longer range per lb, more energy per lb, faster per lb., easier to refuel per lb.  Oil became crucial to British naval fleet.
 >  Anglo-Persian Oil Co.  intensive development of D’Arcy’s concession.
 >  1913 British government purchases 51% of A-P Oil company, brings British Indian Begal lancers to protect it, establishes South Persia Rifles [Persian troops].  
 >  WWI, British fear Ottoman intervention, try to secure land route through “Iraq” as well as control of Persian Gulf.
 >  With beginning of hostilities British troops land in south to control oil producing territories; Russians expand their grip on the north. 
 >  1919:  British knew what their oil resources were worth.:  took control of the army, treasury, transport system, communications network.  
 >  1921:  British took control of Iraq in the post-WWI mandate.
 >  1921:  Reza Shah:  led a coup against the shah, took over against the British.
Reza Shah after WWI: destroyed the contitutional movement 
 >  1921 Reza Khan > Reza Shah in 1925 growing autocracy plus quarrel over oil rights
 >  Germany had large influence into WWII,  Reza Shah changes the name from Persia to Iran
 >  1932 Persia terminated British oil rights; a new agreement in 1933
>  Intermediate period:  1941 – 1948
opening up of secular means of organizing:  unions, political parties
>  Sep 16th 1941, British forced the Shah to abdicate in favor of his son, M Reza Shah
>  1943  British BP applied for oil concessions
>  After WWII, quarrel over Oil Co,
>  1949:  oil concessions made to British
>  1949-50  Nationalist movement begins, opposition to oil concessions
>  May 1951 Musadeq becomes PM
>  1952:  Iran breaks off relations with Britain
>  Musadeq period 1948 – 1953
>  new constitutional hopes, but little attempt to structure it
>  Coup against  Musadeq in 1953
>  Eisenhower administration [he was dubious, but Allan and JFoster Dulles persuaded him;  threat of communism]
>  Kermit Roosevelt led the coup plans, because British embassy had been closed by Musadeq
>  KR paid off gangs of thugs, mullahs, newspapers, etc.; CIA paid off Shah’s sister to accept the coup even though she had no respect for Shah
>  Plan was for King to appoint a new Prime Minister [Gen Zahedi] in place of Musadeq [properly it was illegal until ratified by the majles]
>  On Aug 15, 1953 the plan was put in motion:  a major led a group to pick up the main military leader [to stifle him] but he was not there – actually had gotten wind of the coup plans and had gone already to Musadeq’s house; was secretly waiting for the coup party to arrive.
>  So the coup was thwarted:  the shah [who had been hiding in a northern site] immediately took off in his own plane [was a pilot] and flew to Bagdad, then to Rome. 
>  K.Roosevelt was frustrated, in the Am Embassy.  Was told to flee Tehran immediately by JFDulles.  Decided to try again.  Stirred up riots all over Tehran, had another group of troops go get Gen Zahedi, went there himself to tell him to get ready.  The new movement came at a time when Musadeq’s office was unsuspecting; Am ambassador persuaded him that Americans were in danger of pro-Musadeq riotors, so Musadeq gave word his own public supporters should be told to stay indoors, not to demonstrate.  So he was quickly caught and imprisoned. 
>  M. Reza Shah 1953 – 1978
 >  Shah believes they love him and comes back
 > [Ali Mersipassi-Ashtiani article:  read key passages after p. 56]
>  Shah takes more active role after 1955.