Iran-Britain Treaty Signed Secretly

August, 9, 1919 A.D.:
Iran-Britain Treaty Signed Secretly

By: Mir M.Hosseini

Vosooghoddoleh, the prime minister of Ahmad Shah secretly signed a treaty with the British that gave them exclusive rights to use Iran's roads and railroads. The agreement also gave Britain the authority over Iran's military and financial institutions. Vosooghoddoleh and some other officials had been bribed to sign this treaty that would practically bring Iran under Britain's guardianship. After the world war I, the Ottomans who allied with the Germans were subdued and the Bolshevik revolution created a power vacuum in the region. Although Ahmad Shah was politically weakened, he refused to approve the deal and the parliament's approval was out of question. Public opinion finally forced Vosooghoddoleh to resign on June, 25, 1920 and Hasan Pirnia, the new prime minister officially declared cancellation of the agreement on Feb, 27, 1921.