Iran’s Foreign Policy in 1933-1939: Problems of Diversifying Relations with Leading World Powers

The article is devoted to the problems of modernizing Iran’s foreign policy strategy on the eve of World War II, the implementation of a set of measures to diversify its relations with the leading world powers. The factors influencing the formation of the conflict relations of Iran with Great Britain and the USSR are revealed. The features of the nationalist policy of the Reza Shah regime, aimed at liberating the country from British control and weakening Soviet influence in the country, are traced. Particular attention is paid to the formation of a pro-German course in Iran’s foreign policy. The author emphasizes that the ideological factor (Nazi propaganda about the common Aryan origin of the Germans and Iranians) played an important role in the rapprochement of the Shah’s regime of Iran with the Nazi leadership of Germany. It is stated that the rapprochement of Iran with Germany contributed to the growth of tension in Europe, the intensification of the confrontation between the bloc of fascist states and the camp of anti-fascist forces. It is also noted that as a result of the Iranian-German rapprochement, Moscow’s relations with Tehran found themselves in a crisis situation: the strengthening of Nazi influence in Iran prompted the USSR leadership to take urgent measures to ensure reliable protection of the country’s southern borders against the threat of a German attack.

1. Aliyev, S. M. (2004). History of Iran. XX century. Moscow: Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Kraft+. 644 p. ISBN 5-93675-075-2 (Kraft+). (In Russ.).

2. Asgharzadeh, A. (2007). Iran and the Challenge of Diversity: Islamic Fundamentalism, Aryanist Racism, and Democratic Struggles. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 249 p. ISBN 9780230604889, 023060488.

3. Bast, O. (2001). German-Iranian diplomatic Relations. In: Encyclopedia Iranica. Оnline edition. Available at: https://iranicaonline.org/articles/germany-i (accessed 12.10.2021).

4. Beck, P. J. (1974). The Anglo-Persian Oil Dispute 1932—1933. Journal of Contemporary, 4: 123—151. DOI: 10.1177/002200947400900406. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/260294 (accessed 13.10.2021).

5. Burrell, R. M., Jarman, R. L. (1997). Iran: 1939—1942. Cambridge: Archive Editions. 662 p. ISBN 1852077107, 9781852077105.

6. Chaumont M.-L. (2000). France: Relations with Persia since 1918. In: Encyclopedia Iranica. Оnline edition. Available at: https://iranicaonline.org/articles/france-iv-relations-with-persia-since-1918 (accessed 12.10.2021).

7. Coleman, M. A History of Franco-Iranian Relations. Available at: http://www.us-iran.org/news/2017/10/19/a-history-of-franco-iranian-relations (accessed 12.10.2021).

8. Dudaiti, A. K. (2007). The Arab East in the foreign policy of Germany (1950—1990). Vladikavkaz: SOGU. 320 p. ISBN 978-5-8336-0495-3 (In the lane). (In Russ.).

9. Dudaiti, A. K. (2009). FRG: Middle East policy (1949—1983). Vladikavkaz: SOIGSI. 224 p. ISBN 978-5-91480-043-4. (In Russ.).

10. Dudaiti, A. K. (2020). Policy of the leading EU countries in conflict regions of the world: The Middle East. Vladikavkaz: SOGU. 304 p. ISBN 978-5-8336-1018-3. (In Russ.).

11. Forbis, W. (1980). Fall of the peacock throne: The story of Iran. New York: Harper & Row. 305 р. ISBN 0-06-011301-4 (U.S.A. a. Canada).

12. Hirschfeld, Y. (1980). Deutschland und Iran im Spielfeld der Mächte: Internationale Beziehungen unter Reza Schah (1921—1941). Düsseldorf: Schriftenreihe des Instituts für Deutsche Geschichte. 351 s. ISBN-10 ;9575000773‏ISBN-13 978-3770005758. (In Germ.).

13. Khatib-Shahid, R. (2013). German foreign Policy towards Iran before World War II: Political Relations, Economic Influence and the National Bank of Persia. London: I. B. Tauris. 240 p. ISBN-10; 6423588481 ‏ISBN-13.9423588481-879‏

14. Kumral, M. (2016). Rethinking Turkey — Iraq Relations. The Dilemma of Partial Cooperation. Ankara: Middle East Technical University. 258 p. ISBN-10 ;8321657311‏ ISBN-13 .7321657311-879‏

15. Kumral M. (2020). Exploring Emotions in Turkey-Iran Relations: Affective Politics of Partnership and Rivalry. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 359 p. ISBN-13 978-3030390280; ISBN-10 3030390284.

16. Mamedova, N. M. (2009). Iranian-Soviet Relations (1917—1991). In: Encyclopedia Iranica. Online edition. Available at: http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/russia-ii-iranian-soviet-relations-1917-1991 (accessed 13.10.2021).

17. Martin, V. (2009). Britain-Iranian Relations since 1800. London: Routledge. 188 p. ISBN-10 ;4934455140‏ISBN-13 .9934455140-879‏

18. Orishev, A. B. Nazi Germany in Iran: Political and ideological expansion on the eve of World War II. Available at: http://library.by/portalus/modules/history/referat_readme.php?archive=&id=1210697616&start_from=&subaction=s howfull&ucat= (accessed 11.10.2021). (In Russ.).

19. Roshandel, J., Cook, A. (2009). The United States and Iran: Policy Challenges and Opportunities. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US. 220 p. ISBN 978-0-230-62328-6.

20. Rezun, М. (1988). The Soviet Union and Iran: Soviet Policy in Iran from the Beginning of Pahlavi Dynasty until the Soviet Invasion in 1941. London: Westview press. 425 p. ISBN 0-8133-7616-5.

21. Shajari, S. (2014). Chain Reaction and Chaos: Toward Modern Persia. New York: University Press of America. 299 p. ISBN 0761865225; 9780761865223.

22. The Cambridge History of Iran. From Nader Shah to the Islamic Republic (1722—1979), 7. (2008). Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. 1072 p. ISBN 0521200954, 9780521200950.