Oil, Iran, and Palestine

Abstract

Following World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Britain’s role in the Arab world expanded. The British government was awarded League of Nations mandates for Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine. At the same time, Britain continued to fulfill its role as guardian of the Gulf, while protecting its route to India. In the Gulf region’s nine small shaikhdoms, which included Bahrain, the British political resident and his political agents maintained their relationships with local rulers, providing guidance, encouragement, and sometimes criticism. While the United States had no official diplomatic relationship at the time with Bahrain or the other Gulf shaikhdoms, the possibility of locating oil in the region began to attract American interest.