Britain-Iran relationships in the light of the documents of foreign affairs (1899-1909)

The Qajar State, in other words Iran, which became the area of rivalry and competition of Great Powers such as Great Britain and Russia in the 19th century, impoverished through concessions, trade agreements and selling of various resources and started to lose its governmental control due to domestic matters. During the reign of Naser al-Din Shah, the economic and financial distress paved the way for Great Britain and Russia to increase their trade volume in Iran and to accelerate their acquisition of natural resources of Iran, the most significant of which was The Tobacco Protests in 1891-1892. Great Britain, which contended and entered into rivalry with Russia during the 19th century, started to lose its prestige, effect and control over Iran because of the Tobacco Protests. Great Britain, which tried to conserve its acquirements, seems to have fallen behind in the competition with Russia, which was eager to enhance its gains in these lands. Great Britain, which lost its relative superiority, followed internal affairs in Iran closely. Prioritising its interests in Iran as well as ones in India, Great Britain, therefore, made a point of supporting its general strategy of keeping the status quo with local alliances. Great Britain, which is said to have been in touch with most of pioneers and leaders of the movement of Constitutionalism, avoided direct interference with the affairs of Iran and actions that were risky for its interests. Great Britain left the self-isolation policy of foreign affairs attributed to Canning, which kept it away from long-term and long-distance commitments. The rise of Germany since the onset of the 20th century pushed Great Britain, in order to eliminate that threat, into an alliance with Russia, which Great Britain had been in rivalry during the 19th century. The most distinct example of that was in Iran. Great Britain, which sealed alliances with Japan in 1902, France in 1904 and Russia in 1907, tried to obstruct economic and commercial expansion of Germany via this new policy of foreign affairs. The most important alliance is, within the context of this thesis, the one signed in 1907 to divide Iran into three parts. In this study including the years between 1899 and 1909, the documents of Foreign Affairs have been analysed under three themes, namely "Commercial and Economic Interests", "Internal Affairs of Iran" and "Iran as a Part of Indian Policy and Trade" in three chapters, respectively "Pre-Constitutional Revolution", "During Constitutional Revolution" and "Post Constitutional Revolution". These documents as a first-hand source are of vital importance since they reveal British activities, attitudes and targets in Iran. Though the scope and targets British activities in Iran vary taken into consideration in separate periods, the general strategy of Great Britain seems consistent and stable. The most notable result is that the Qajar State and Great Britain had common benefits and interests during the decade between 1899 and 1909. Other results are Great Britain's keeping the status quo, maintenance of commercial interests and flexibility in policies when a third power tried to interfere in the affairs of Iran.