British policy in Iran, 1941-1946: the role of the Tudeh Party

This is a study of British policy during the British–Soviet occupation of Iran from 1941 to 1946, as understood through British attitudes towards and opinions of the Tudeh Party. This thesis makes two main arguments. Firstly, that British policy was robust and flexible enough to withstand and adjust to changes in circumstance when seeking to prioritise its interests at any given time during the occupation. Secondly, that the Tudeh occupied an important position in British policy, both in and outside of Iran. Key to the analysis is the question of how the Tudeh went from being regarded as an asset to becoming a threat to British interests. By touching on changes in Britain’s global position, how the Tudeh featured within its major policies in Iran will be placed alongside wider Second World War and early Cold War histories. This positioning of the Tudeh is filtered through Britain’s key interests, which were impacted by the outcome of the Second World War, relations with the Soviet Union, relations with Left-wing parties, the importance of oil and Britain’s strategic position in the early Cold War. By focusing on the views of British officials, the Tudeh is seen in a different light, as interrupts the Soviet–Tudeh paradigm that has long-dominated discourse and historiography. While British primary sources are mainly used here, where relevant and possible Iranian (including Tudeh) and Soviet views are introduced. Each chapter covers a specific era of the occupation, as corresponds to a specific set of strategic interests being held. These, in turn, are analysed to identify how they affected the way the Tudeh, and its members were viewed and treated