Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [140r] (284/1186)
The record is made up of 1 file (589 folios). It was created in 3 Aug 1933-31 Jan 1934. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government, and should ha
returned to tha Foreign Office if not reqnired for official use.]
f R’Xrrrz /i on*? /r? a \
\ ~ J * O OljO/ J. ( 0/ O'-i j A
To PICE3IA,
Code tele°:rr.m to Mr*
Foreign Office,
- T 0» 1G3 (Ii) •
Mellet (Tehran).
September 23rd 1933. 9.00 p.m
AAA.AA.AAAAAAA
A A A A A
IMPCSl'AiOj
Persiea Oac.r^ dV’a’xsires su^-rested on September
22M irjGUe or ^ reea oonmmlqud to press to counteract
anj.ortunr.te impression which recent information in
British press iia.d produced at Tehran ( c.f. your
telegrams ^os. 2 18 and .321 ). He was told that no such
communique could oe issued at eny rate pendinm final
settlement of incident and was ur^ed to inform his
government tliat was beina dealt with through you.
no t IvSo raised question of removal of British
forces stated to have been landed recently at Basidu
( c • 2 • your uele°'ram i,o«> 222 )♦ He was informed that
-is Majesty’s Government had perfect riyht to land
forces in area held by them, and that such action involve
.uc new departure, no alteration in status of Basidu
coulo. De ©fiected. except us part of a. general treaty
settlement.
Interview followed ^enerel lines of your
conversation with Teroumhi, as reported in paragraph 3
01 Tour telegram f0.223 (of September 22nd) received
subsequently.
Repeated to India No*24*
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British diplomatic and naval officials concerning an incident on 31 July 1933 when four Persian naval officers landed at Basidu (a naval station on Qishm island used by Britain) and took down the British flag in the presence of witnesses including an Italian and a Frenchman. Subsequently, a Royal Navy vessel arrived at the station and the British flag was re-hoisted.
The correspondence discusses the details of the incident itself, its aftermath and its impact on Britain's relations with the Government of Iran. It also covers what steps were taken to 'restore British prestige in the eyes of the Gulf Arabs', including details regarding the dispatch of a royal navy flotilla to the region.
In addition to correspondence, the file also contains the following:
- Relevant press cuttings regarding the incident and Britain's response (folios 78, 169, 311 and 364)
- Copy of a circular clarifying the sequence of events in Basidu that was issued by the British authorities in the Gulf (folio 11)
- 'Copy of a note dated the 14th August 1933, from the Head Clerk, H.B.M.'s Consulate, Bandar Abbas, regarding a conversation which recently took place between the Governor of Bandar Abbas and the Consulate Mirza' (folio 255)
- 'Basidu Incident' a summary of events written by J V Creagh, Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (folios 329-331)
- 'Extract from Cabinet Conclusions dated 5th September 1933 - Relations with Persia, Basidu Incident' (folios 370-376)
- 'Legal Status of Basidu' (folios 398-399)
- 'Cabinet: Relations with Persia - Basidu Incident. Memorandum by the First Lord of the Admiralty' (folios 413-415)
- Cabinet Memorandum regarding Basidu Incident (folios 416-417)
- 'Foreign Office Memorandum for submission to the Cabinet on the subject of the Flag Incident at Basidu' (folios 435-440)
- A small sketch map marking the boundaries of 'British Basidu' (folio 536).
The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (589 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 591; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [140r] (284/1186), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3775, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100060481229.0x000055> [accessed 23 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3775
- Title
- Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:77v, 79r:168v, 170r:310v, 312r:363v, 365r:590v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence
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