Iran Dunsterforce

in 1935, reza shah asked international community refer country native name, iran. opposition change led reversal of decision , professor ehsan yarshater, editor of encyclopædia iranica, proposed use of persia , iran interchangeably. russian policy towards iran in 1914 based on assurances iranian territorial integrity respected tsarist expansion in northern iran , opposition emergence of stable modern state, led suspicion policy keep iran dependency or absorb more of northern provinces. britain traditionally sought maintain commercial interests in country , use of naval power protect india. geographical position of iran, between europe , india , ancient west–east trade routes through iranian provinces, had led british in nineteenth century follow policy of using iran buffer state.

the british in practice preferred inaction, although enabled russian expansionism until anglo-russian convention (anglo-russian entente) of 1907. russian sphere ran meshed in east tabriz in west , far south teheran , british sphere ran west of north-west frontier of india , afghan border, west vicinity of bandar abbas on persian gulf. ottoman empire remained possible field german diplomatic , economic influence. traditional ottoman hostility iran on religious grounds meant pan-islamism of sultan abdul hamid ii of ottoman empire failed gain of following in iran, until young persians took political tool. young turks in ottoman empire evolved pan-turanists, seeking renew ottoman empire expanding trans-caucasia, turkestan , @ least north-west of iran. 1914 little attention had been paid pan-turanists, due power of russian empire; ottoman encroachments on iran seen defensive moves against russia.

in 1914, british forces india occupied iranian territory east of shatt al-arab waterway, guard oil concessions in iran , in 1915 advanced tigris river ctesiphon near baghdad, before being defeated ottoman army , forced retreat kut. during siege of kut (7 december 1915 – 29 april 1916), ottomans defeated 3 relief attempts , refused offer of £2,000,000 ransom garrison, surrendered @ end of april. hopes of russian relief force caspian sea through kermanshah , kanikin baghdad failed materialise. may–november 1916, british consolidated hold on ottoman territory west of iran around basra , confluence of euphrates , tigris @ head of persian gulf. in 1917 british campaign in mesopotamia continued, advances baghdad , towards oilfields of mosul campaign in levant led occupation of palestine. russian invasion of 1915 caucasus established bases @ resht, kazvin , teheran , led inconclusive operations between russians , ottomans further west, closer iranian–ottoman border.