Page 78 - Records of Bahrain (7) (ii)_Neat

468 Records oj Bahrain

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CONFIDENTIAL

Iranian Claim to Bahrain

Tho Iranians occupied Bahrain at varlouo tlmoo and
[Flag A] for varying periods, tho last of which was from 1753 to
1783. Since 17Q3 the prooent Rulor's family have ruled
uninterruptedly under British protection, Even if tho
protection of Her Majesty's Government were withdrawn,
the Island would gravitate to tho Arab world and not to
iag B] Iran, since Bahrain has always been Arab In character.

There are only about 7>000 Iranian nationals In the
Island out of a total population of some 110,000.
As recently as last October, however, the Shah told
Mr.Wright that he thought there were about 100,000
[Flag G] Iranians In Bahrain.
•/I /I 1
2. The Iranian claim to the Island has been advanced

from time to time and In various ways In the last eighty
[Flag D] years. For instance In 1954 sn Iranian Note claimed Inter

i .alia the right to control the landing of foreign aircraft
In Bahrain. In view of this and other statements of the
claim, Her Majesty's Ambassador In Tehran was told in
[Flag E]
March 1955 that Her Majesty's Government could not be
: deflected from their duty to protect the interests of the
Bahrain, and that If the Iranians persisted in
! g this claim they might damage their relations both
with the United Kingdom and with their Arab neighbours.
3. In 1951 Her Majesty s Government gave the Ruler of

*h a categorical assurance that they would protect
his State "in tv, same manner as any British territory",
an
^ urQnco which was given with the Iranian claim
Bahrain is the basis of cur peaitier. ir.
of the Persian Gulf, and to show any disposition
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/ to