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{{Short description|1941 conflict of World War II}}
{{For|the occupation of northern Iran by the Russian Empire during World War I|Persian campaign (World War I)}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
| partof            = the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II]]
| image             = Soviet tankmen of the 6th Armoured Division drive through the streets of Tabriz (2).jpg
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = Soviet tankmen of the [[Red Army|6th Tank Division]] driving through [[Tabriz]] on their [[T-26]], 28 August 1941
| date              = 25–31 August 1941<ref name="auto">''Immortal : A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces'', Steven R. Ward, Georgetown University Press, 2009, p. 169</ref><br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=8|day1=25|year1=1941|month2=8|day2=31|year2=1941}})
| place             = Iran
| coordinates       = {{Coord|32|N|53|E|display=INLINE}}
| result            = Anglo-Soviet victory{{bulletedlist
| Abdication of Iranian monarch [[Reza Shah]] on 16 September 1941<ref name="auto"/>
| Rise to power of Iranian crown prince [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]]<ref name=Milani />
| Opening of the [[Persian Corridor]] by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] to support the Soviets against the [[Operation Barbarossa|German invasion]]}}
| territory         = Military occupation of Iran for the remainder of [[World War II]]{{bulletedlist
| Soviet occupation of northern Iran
| British occupation of southern Iran}}
| combatant1        = {{flag|Soviet Union|1936}}<br/>{{Tree list}}
*{{flag|British Empire}}
**{{UK}}
**{{flagcountry|British Raj}}
**{{flag|Australia}} (naval only)
{{Tree list/end}}
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Pahlavi Iran|1933}}
| commander1        = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|Soviet Union|1936}} [[Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov|Dmitry Kozlov]]<br />{{flagicon|Soviet Union|1936}} [[Sergei Trofimenko]]<br />{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Edward Quinan]]<br />{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|William Slim]]}}
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Pahlavi Iran|1933}} [[Reza Shah]]<br />{{flagicon|Pahlavi Iran|1933}} [[Ali Mansur]]<br />{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Pahlavi Iran|1933}} [[Mohammad Ali Foroughi]]}}<br />{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Pahlavi Iran|1933}} [[Gholamali Bayandor]]{{KIA}}}}<br />{{flagicon|Pahlavi Iran|1933}} [[Ahmad Nakhjavan]]<br />{{flagdeco|Iran|1925}} [[Mahmud Mir-Djalali]]<br />{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Pahlavi Iran|1933}} {{ill|Mohammad Shahbakhti|lt=M. Shahbakhti|fa|محمد شاه‌بختی}}}}
| strength1         = '''Soviet Union:'''{{unbulletedlist
| 3 armies}}'''British Empire:'''{{unbulletedlist
| 2 divisions, 3 brigades
| 4 sloops
| 1 gunboat
| 1 corvette
| 1 armed merchant cruiser
| 1 armed yacht
| ? auxiliary vessels}}
| strength2         = {{unbulletedlist
| 9 divisions
| 60 aircraft
| 2 sloops
| 4 patrol boats}}
| casualties1       = '''Soviet Union:'''{{unbulletedlist
| 40 killed
| 3 aircraft destroyed}}'''British Empire:'''{{unbulletedlist
| 22 killed<ref name="CM136">Compton Mackenzie, ''Eastern Epic'', p. 136</ref>
| 50 wounded<ref name="CM136" />
| 1 tank destroyed}}
| casualties2       = {{unbulletedlist
| ~850 killed
| 7 aircraft destroyed
| 3 sloops destroyed
| 3 patrol boats captured}}
| casualties3       = '''Civilian casualties:'''<br />~450 Iranian civilians killed
| campaignbox       = {{WWIITheatre}}{{Campaignbox Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre}}
| notes             = {{align|center|[[File:Allied Forces Sweep on in Iran.png|300x300px]]Map of Iran, showing British routes from [[Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq]] and [[British Raj|India]] as well as Soviet routes from the [[Caucasus]] and [[Soviet Central Asia|Central Asia]]}}
}}
{{Mohammad Reza Pahlavi series}}

The '''Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pahlavi dynasty {{!}} Iran, Coups, Revolution, &amp; Founder {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pahlavi-dynasty |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> also known as the '''Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia''' or the '''Allied invasion of Iran''', was the joint invasion of the officially [[neutral country|neutral]] [[Imperial State of Iran]] by the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Soviet Union]] in August 1941. The two powers announced that they would stay until six months after the end of the war with their mutual enemy, [[Nazi Germany]] ([[World War II]]), which turned out to be 2 March 1946. On that date the British began to withdraw, while the [[Soviet Union]] delayed until May, initially citing "threats to Soviet security", followed by the [[Iran crisis of 1946]].<ref name=UN-History/>

The invasion, code named '''Operation Countenance''', was largely unopposed by the numerically and technologically outmatched Iranian forces. The multi-pronged coordinated invasion took place along Iran's borders with the [[Kingdom of Iraq]], [[Azerbaijan SSR]], and [[Turkmen SSR]], with fighting beginning on 25 August and ending on 31 August when the Iranian government, under the rule of [[Reza Shah|Reza Shah Pahlavi]], formally agreed to surrender, having already agreed to a ceasefire on 30 August.<ref name="auto"/>

The invasion took place two months after the [[Operation Barbarossa|Axis invasion of the Soviet Union]] and the Soviet Union's subsequent alliance with the United Kingdom. The attack also took place less than two months after [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] victories over pro-Axis forces in neighboring [[Anglo-Iraqi War|Iraq]] and French [[Syria–Lebanon campaign|Syria and Lebanon]]. The invasion's strategic purpose was to ensure the safety of Allied [[supply line]]s to the USSR (see the [[Persian Corridor]]), secure Iranian [[oil field]]s, limit German influence in Iran ([[Reza Shah]] had leveraged Germany to offset the British and Soviet spheres of influence on Iran) and preempt a possible Axis advance from [[Turkey]] through Iran toward the [[Petroleum industry in Azerbaijan|Baku oil fields]] or [[British Raj|British India]]. Following the invasion, on 16 September 1941 Reza Shah abdicated and went into [[exile]], being replaced by his young son [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]]. Iran would remain under British and Soviet occupation until 1946.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />

== Background ==
In 1925, after years of civil war, turmoil, and foreign intervention, [[Imperial State of Iran|Persia]] became unified under the rule of Reza Pahlavi, who performed a [[1921 Persian coup d'état|coup d'état]] against the [[Qajar dynasty]]<ref>Pollack, p. 28</ref> (1789–1925) which presided over a divided and isolated Persia. He later crowned himself as Reza Shah that same year. In 1935, Reza Shah asked foreign delegates to use ''Iran'', the historical name of the country that was also used by its native people, in formal correspondence. Reza Shah commenced an ambitious program of economic, cultural, and military modernization. Reza Shah's regime established schools, built [[infrastructure]], modernized cities, and expanded transportation networks.<ref name="Pollack 05">{{cite book|last= Pollack|first= Kenneth|title= The Persian Puzzle: Deciphering the Twenty-Five Year Conflict..|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VtISTfUL-NAC|isbn= 978-1-58836-434-0|date= 2004|publisher= Random House Publishing}}{{page needed|date=August 2022}}</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The Shah pursued a foreign policy of [[neutral country|neutrality]], but depended on Western financing in order to finance his ambitious modernization projects.<ref name="Farrokh 03">{{cite book |last=Farrokh |first=Kaveh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v6yHCwAAQBAJ |title=Iran at War: 1500–1988 |date=2011 |publisher=Osprey Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1-78096-221-4 |pages=281 |chapter=Chapter 28: The Second World War and the Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran}}</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

In early 1940, as Britain was involved in war with Germany in [[North African campaign|North Africa]], it grew concerned about German access to the [[Persian Gulf]], especially in light of Germany's [[non-aggression pact]] with the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/05/20/85495317.html?pageNumber=4|title=Nazi–Soviet Deal on Iran Reported; Moscow Said to Open German Route to Near East in Return for Indian Ocean Outlet British Caution Turkey London Fears War Materials May Go Through Nation – Close Watch Kept|work=The New York Times }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1940/05/09/92971206.html?pageNumber=10|title=Iran Reported Shipping Through Soviet to Reich|work=The New York Times }}</ref> The British began to accuse Iran of supporting [[Nazism]] and of being pro-German.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} Although Reza Shah declared neutrality at an early stage of [[World War II]], Iran assumed greater strategic importance to the British government, which feared that the [[Abadan Refinery]] (of the UK-owned [[Anglo-Iranian Oil Company]]) might fall into German hands. Refining eight million tons of oil in 1940, the refinery made a crucial contribution to the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] war effort.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref>{{cite book |title= In Too Deep: BP and the Drilling Race That Took it Down |last1= Reed |first1= Stanley |last2= Fitzgerald |first2= Alison |year= 2010 |publisher= Wiley |isbn= 978-0-470-95090-6 |url= https://archive.org/details/intoodeepbpdrill00reed }}</ref> Relations between Britain and Iran had been strained since 1931 when the Shah unilaterally cancelled the [[D'Arcy Concession]] – a 1901 agreement that had given the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company the exclusive right to prospect for Iranian oil for 60 years, with Iran receiving 16 percent of the net profit. Led by the Shah, the Iranian imperial government accused the Company of undercutting its share of the profit by clandestinely reinvesting new capital into subsidiary companies, and thus excluding a significant sum from the annual capital gain calculation. Though the Shah promptly renegotiated a second concession with the Anglo-Iranian Company – with terms that better protected the Iranians' stake – the diplomatic conflict created an impression that the Shah was hostile to British oil interests.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

Following [[Operation Barbarossa]], the [[Axis powers|Axis]] invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Britain and the Soviet Union became formal Allies, providing further impetus for an Allied invasion.<ref name=Esposito98>Esposito (1998), [https://books.google.com/books?id=SlhxoTHLxeMC&amp;pg=PA127 p. 127]</ref> In a major strategic analysis in the ''New York Times'' on a Sunday following Barbarossa, the famous international correspondent [[C. L. Sulzberger]] stated, in reference to the [[Operation Orient]], "It is considered virtually a certainty by military experts that if the Reich succeeds...an attack on [[Egypt]] will be launched. Should the Germans...occupy the [[Caucasus]] and then push on to Iran and the Persian Gulf they will then outflank the British Middle Eastern positions by a wide sweep and perhaps by Autumn begin to make trouble in Iraq."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/06/29/432207622.html?pageNumber=73|title=Nazis in a Race Against Time to Win the War; Russia Must Be Conquered and a New Transport System Set Up Quickly|work=The New York Times }}</ref> With the [[Wehrmacht]] steadily advancing through the Soviet Union, the Persian Corridor formed by the [[Trans-Iranian Railway]] offered one of the easiest ways to supply the Soviets with [[Lend-Lease]] goods sent by sea from the then technically neutral [[United States]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Samii |first=Bill |date=6 May 2005 |title=World War II – 60 Years After: The Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran and Washington-Tehran Relations |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1058759.html |access-date=2021-08-25 |website=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty |language=en}}</ref> British and Soviet planners recognized the importance of that railway and sought to control it. As increasing [[U-boat]] attacks and winter ice{{when|date=November 2019}} made [[Arctic convoys of World War II|convoys]] to [[Arkhangelsk]] (which commenced in August 1941) dangerous, the railway seemed an increasingly attractive strategic route.

The two Allied nations applied pressure on Iran and on the Shah, which led to increased tensions and to anti-British rallies in [[Tehran]]. The British described the protests as "pro-German".<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} Iran's strategic location threatened Soviet Caucasian oil and the Soviet armies' rear, and any German advance south-eastwards would threaten British communications between [[British Raj|India]] and the Mediterranean.<ref name="JCH">{{cite journal |last1= Beaumont |first1= Joan |title= Great Britain and the Rights of Neutral Countries: The Case of Iran, 1941 |journal= Journal of Contemporary History |date= January 1981 |volume= 16 |issue= 1 |pages= 213–228 |doi= 10.1177/002200948101600112 |jstor= 260624|s2cid= 159929729 }}</ref>{{rp| 215–216}}

In July and August, the Shah refused demands from the British for the expulsion of German residents from Iran (mostly workers and diplomats). A British embassy report, dated 1940, estimated that there were almost 1,000 German nationals in Iran.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.iranian.com/AbbasMilani/2006/February/Black/index.html |title= Abbas Milani, Iran, Jews and the Holocaust: An answer to Mr. Black |publisher= iranian.com |access-date= 2011-09-22}}</ref> According to Iran's ''[[Ettela'at]]'' newspaper, there were 690 German nationals in Iran (out of a total of 4,630 foreigners, including 2,590 British).<ref name="fouman.com">{{cite web
 |url= http://www.fouman.com/history/Iranian_History_1941.html
 |title= Iranian History (1941)
 |access-date= 15 September 2014
 |archive-date= 10 July 2013
 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130710082148/http://fouman.com/history/Iranian_History_1941.html
 |url-status= dead
 }}</ref> Joan Beaumont estimates that "probably no more than 3,000 Germans actually lived in Iran, but they were believed to have a disproportionate influence because of their employment in strategic government industries and in Iran's transport and communications network."<ref name=JCH />{{rp|215}}

However, the Iranians began to reduce their trade with the Germans in the face of Allied demands.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} Reza Shah sought to remain neutral, not wanting to anger either side. This approach became increasingly difficult in the face of Anglo-Soviet demands. British forces were already present in sizeable numbers in [[Iraq]] as a result of the [[Anglo-Iraqi War]] of May 1941.

== Invasion ==

The invasion was a surprise attack described by Allied forces as rapid and conducted with ease.<ref name=Stewart88>{{cite book |last=Stewart |first=Richard Anthony |title=Sunrise at Abadan: The British and Soviet invasion of Iran, 1941 |year=1988 |publisher=Praeger |location=New York |isbn=978-0-275-92793-6}}</ref> Prior to the invasion, two [[diplomatic note]]s were delivered to the Iranian government on 19 July and 17 August, requiring the Iranian government to expel German nationals.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://iranicaonline.org/|title=Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |last=Foundation |website=iranicaonline.org}}</ref> The second of the notes was recognised by the prime minister [[Ali Mansur]] as a disguised ultimatum.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sunrise at Abadan: The British and Soviet Invasion of Iran, 1941 |last=Stewart |first=Richard A. |year=1988 |publisher=Praeger |location=New York |isbn=978-0-275-92793-6 |page=85}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37685 |date=13 August 1946 |pages=4097–4098 |supp=y}}</ref> General [[Archibald Wavell]] later wrote in his despatch, "it was apparent that the Iranian Government fully expected an early British advance into [[Khuzestan]] and that reinforcements, including light and medium tanks, were being sent to [[Ahvaz]]".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37685 |date=13 August 1946 |page=4098 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Immortal: A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces |last=Ward |first=Steven R. |year=2009 |publisher=Georgetown University Press |isbn=978-1-58901-258-5 |page=154 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eUTLaaVOOQC&amp;pg=PA154}}</ref>

Following the invasion, Sir [[Reader Bullard]] and [[Andrey Andreyevich Smirnov]], the British and Soviet ambassadors to Iran, were summoned. The Shah demanded to know why they were invading his country and why they had not [[declared war]]. Both answered that it was because of "German residents" in Iran. When the Shah asked if the Allies would stop their attack if he expelled the Germans, the ambassadors did not answer. The Shah sent a telegram to US President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], pleading with him to stop the invasion. As the neutral United States had nothing to do with the attack, Roosevelt was not able to grant the Shah's plea but stated that he believed that the "territorial integrity" of Iran should be respected.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}
In his [[The Second World War (book series)|post-war memoirs]], [[Winston Churchill]] invoked the [[Brocard (law)|brocard]], "[[Inter arma silent leges]]" to justify the "''exercise of overwhelming force against a weak and ancient state.''"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Churchill |first=Winston S. |author-link=Winston Churchill |title=The Second World War: The Grand Alliance |volume=III |year=1985 |orig-year=1950 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |location=Boston |isbn=978-0-395-41057-8 |page=80 |url=https://archive.org/details/grandalliancethe0000wins/page/408/mode/1up |access-date=4 March 2026}}</ref> 

=== Beginning of the invasion ===
[[File:Soviet and British soldiers in Iran.jpg|thumb|left|Soviet and Indian soldiers meet in late August.]]

The [[Royal Navy]] and [[Royal Australian Navy]] attacked from the Persian Gulf, while other British Commonwealth forces came by land and air from Iraq. The Soviet Union invaded from the north, mostly from [[Transcaucasia]], with the [[44th Army (Soviet Union)|44th]] and [[47th Army|47th]] Armies of the [[Transcaucasian Front]] (General [[Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov]]), and the [[53rd Army (Soviet Union)|53rd Army]] of the [[Central Asian Military District]], occupying Iran's northern provinces. Air force and naval units also participated in the battle. The Soviets used about 1,000 [[T-26]] tanks for their combat operations.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

Six days after the invasion and the ensuing Allied occupation of southern Iran, the British divisions previously known as "Iraq Command" (also known as [[Iraqforce]]) were renamed "Persia and Iraq Force" ([[Paiforce]]), under the command of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Edward Quinan]]. Paiforce was made up of [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th]] and [[10th Indian Infantry Division|10th]] Indian Infantry divisions, [[2nd Indian Armoured Brigade]], [[1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|4th British Cavalry Brigade]] (later renamed [[9th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|9th Armoured Brigade]]), and [[21st Indian Infantry Brigade]].

In response to the invasion, the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Imperial Iranian Army]] deployed nine infantry divisions, some of them motorised; two of the divisions also had tanks. The Iranian Army had a standing force of 126,000–200,000 men. While Iran had taken numerous steps through the previous decade to strengthen, standardise, and modernise its army, the army did not have enough training, armour, or air power to fight a multi-front war. Reza Shah's modernisations had not been completed by the time war broke out,<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} and the Iranian Army had been more concerned with civilian repression than invasions.<ref>Kaveh Farrokh, ''Iran at War: 1500–1988'', Osprey. 2011; {{ISBN|978-1-84603-491-6}}.{{page needed|date=August 2022}}</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

The Iranian army was armed with the [[vz. 24]] rifle, a [[Czechoslovakia|Czech]] version of the Mauser [[Gewehr 98]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parsa |first1=Ali |title=Brno, the Persian Mauser |url=http://www.aliparsa.com/brno/brno.html|access-date=30 August 2015}}</ref> Iranian troops also had other Czech small arms like the [[ZB vz. 30]] and [[ZB-53]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Militaria|url=http://www.militaria.cz/archiv/391/clanky/391-08.html|access-date=2021-12-11|website=www.militaria.cz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-10-27|title=ZB 53 / Vz.37|url=https://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/czech-republic-machineguns/zb-53-vz-37-eng/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Modern Firearms|language=en}}</ref> Iran had bought 100 [[Renault FT|FT-6]] and [[Panzer 38(t)|ČKD TNH]] [[light tank]]s as well as some [[AH-IV]] [[tankette]]s and additional LaFrance TK-6 [[Armored car (military)|armoured cars]], enough to outfit their 1st and 2nd Divisions.<ref name="Barret 03">{{cite web |last=Barret |first=Dave |title=Iranian Tanks |url=http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Iran/Iran.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004220144/http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Iran/Iran.html |archive-date=4 October 2012 }}</ref> Further Iranian orders had been delayed by World War II.<ref name="shahyad.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.shahyad.net/iiarmy/ground/Armour/armor.html |title=Armour in Iran Army |access-date=15 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222045627/http://www.shahyad.net/iiarmy/ground/Armour/armor.html |archive-date=22 February 2013 }}</ref> While it was a large order and they were excellent tanks, they were not enough to defeat a multi-front invasion by two great powers. The changing nature of tank warfare in the 1930s made all but 50 of them obsolete when the invasion began. The [[Air force history of Iran|Imperial Iranian Air Force]] (IIAF) at the time flew a motley collection of outdated [[biplane]]s, including British [[Hawker Fury]] fighters and [[Hawker Hart]] bombers, and French aircraft such as the [[Bréguet 14]], [[Bréguet 19]], [[Potez VIII]], and [[Blériot-SPAD S.42]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=History of the Imperial Iranian Air Force |url=http://www.iiaf.net/history/iiaf.html |access-date=2021-10-13 |website=www.iiaf.net}}</ref> The IIAF also had some Soviet-made aircraft: copies of the British [[Airco DH.4|DH.4]] and [[Airco DH.9A|DH.9A]] made by the [[Polikarpov]] factory, although not modern types such as the original [[Polikarpov R-5]].<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Soviet and British troops rendezvous in the desert near Quazvin.jpg|thumb|Soviet and British soldiers rendezvous near [[Qazvin]].]]
The Iranians had little time to organise a defence, as the Allies achieved a tactical surprise.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The war began in the early morning of 25 August, when RAF aircraft entered Iranian airspace. They bombed targets in the cities of Tehran and [[Qazvin]] and various other towns and dropped leaflets urging the Iranians to surrender. The Soviets bombed targets in cities such as [[Tabriz]], [[Ardabil]] and [[Rasht]]. Civilian and residential areas were hit, and several hundred people were killed and wounded.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} Reza Shah refused requests by his generals to destroy the road and transportation networks, largely because he did not want to damage the infrastructure that he had painstakingly built during his reign. That contributed to the speedy victory of the Allies.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />

With no allies, Iranian resistance was rapidly overwhelmed and neutralised by Soviet and British tanks and infantry. The British and Soviet forces met at [[Sanandaj]] (called Senna by the British) ({{convert|100|mi|km|order=flip}} west of [[Hamadan]]) and Qazvin (called Kazvin by the British) ({{convert|100|mi|km|order=flip}} west of Tehran and {{convert|200|mi|km|order=flip}} north-east of Hamadan) on 30 and 31 August respectively.<ref name="Farrokh 03" /> Faced with massive defeats, the Shah ordered his military to stop fighting and stand down on 29 August, four days into the invasion.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

=== British theatre ===

==== Invasion of Khuzestan ====
[[File:PersianGulfCommand.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Persian Gulf Command map showing position of posts and stations]]

The British assembled a naval task force under Commodore Cosmo Graham to seize [[Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni|Bandar Shahpur]], [[Abadan, Iran|Abadan]], and [[Khorramshahr]]. It attacked at dawn on 25 August 1941.<ref name= tucker>{{cite book |title= World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia |editor-last1= Tucker |editor-first1= Spencer| last = O'Hara| first = Vincent P.| author-link = Vincent P. O'Hara | publisher = ABC-CLIO| volume = 1| edition = illustrated, reprint| date = 2011| pages = 86–87| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=N0nrSWUHx6sC| isbn = 978-1-59884-457-3}}</ref>

The naval attack began at 04:10 at Abadan when {{HMS|Shoreham|L32|6}} opened fire on the Iranian sloop ''Palang'', sinking it in a single salvo.<ref name= tucker /> The Abadan refinery was of vital importance to the British commanders as well as keeping the employees of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company safe from possible [[reprisal]]s. [[Khuzestan Province]] was defended by 27,000 troops from the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 16th infantry divisions, consisting of both light and mechanised infantry. All Iranian tanks were deployed in Khuzestan as part of the 1st and 2nd divisions.<ref name="shahyad.net" /> ''Shoreham'' remained in the area and provided [[naval gunfire support]].<ref name= tucker /> The Iranians managed to put up a resistance, and the refinery and the city were captured that afternoon after hand-to-hand combat resulted in the deaths of several British and Indian troops.

The [[Royal Australian Navy|Australian]]-crewed [[armed merchant cruiser]] [[HMAS Kanimbla (C78)|HMS '' Kanimbla'']] (later HMAS ''Kanimbla'') and her escorts successfully navigated the Khor Musa inlet, arriving at Bandar Shapur at 04:15. '' Kanimbla'' successfully landed two battalions of its troops, facing no resistance from Iranian patrol boats. Seven Axis merchant vessels were seized, while an eighth was scuttled.<ref name= tucker /> The naval base there was secured that evening following heavy fighting. At Khorramshahr, [[HMAS Yarra (U77)|HMAS ''Yarra'']] surprised the Iranian sloop ''Babr'', sinking it at its dock. There had been no time to prepare resistance, as the Iranians had been taken by surprise and the head of the navy, [[Gholamali Bayandor]], was killed.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

The surprise led to virtually no resistance in other areas of Khuzestan. The RAF attacked airbases and communications and rapidly gained [[air superiority]].

The 8th Indian Division (18th Brigade plus the 22nd Brigade under command from the 10th Indian Division) advanced from [[Basra]] towards Qasr Sheikh (which was taken on 25 August) across the [[Shatt al-Arab]] waterway and captured the city of Khorramshahr, which was next to Abadan on the same day. The [[Karun River]] was not secured, as Iranian snipers remained, impeding British advance for a short time. Britain also landed troops at [[Bandar Abbas]], and the Shatt al-Arab was secured.

The British hoped to capture Ahvaz and then drive north into [[Zagros Mountains]] passes to reach Qazvin, where they would link up with British troops in central Iran and Soviet troops from the north. By the early morning of 27 August, the British forces had reached Ahvaz.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The Iranians, led by General Mohammad Shahbakhti, had prepared a strong defence. Iranian infantry had entrenched themselves around the city, with artillery support and tanks. Although Iranians had taken heavy losses and their morale was decreasing, they were prepared to fight hard. The Indian Army advance came to a halt and they were hesitant to cross the Karun River and attack the city. A British attack on the defences around the city was repelled by Iranian tanks and infantry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morbid |first=Mr |date=2024-04-29 |title=The Illegal Invasion and Occupation of Iran by English and Soviet Forces - Morbid Kuriosity |url=https://morbidkuriosity.com/the-illegal-invasion-and-occupation-of-iran-by-english-and-soviet-forces/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

Whether the Iranian defence could have been successful is debatable and on 29 August, after some more sporadic fighting, word reached the Iranian commanders at Ahvaz that their government had accepted a ceasefire and they were not to fight any longer.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The British and Iranians agreed as part of the ceasefire that the Iranians would not lay down their arms and remain at their posts but they would be joined by the British troops, who would carry out a parade in the city. In exchange, the Iranians would safely evacuate British residents in the city to British troops.

==== Invasion of Central Iran ====

Farther north, the 10th Indian Infantry Division<ref name="Stone &amp; Stone" /> under Major-General [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|William Slim]] attacked central Iran. Slim engagingly describes this in the 'Persian Pattern' chapter of his book 'Unofficial History'- including his staff car being engaged by an Iranian anti-tank gun on the Pa-i-Tak pass. The Indian Army infantry and armour massed at the Iraqi border town of [[Khanaqin]] ({{convert|100|mi|km|order=flip}} north-east of [[Baghdad]] and {{convert|300|mi|km|order=flip}} from Basra).{{fact|date=October 2025}}

The British force broke through the border at the town of [[Qasr-e Shirin]] and moved into the [[Naft shahr|Naft-e Shah]] oilfield with little opposition. The RAF provided [[close air support]] and was involved in several [[dogfight]]s with Iranian aircraft. Six Iranian fighters were shot down and several others damaged, for no loss, ensuring air superiority. The RAF also bombed several local towns and dropped leaflets urging surrender.{{fact|date=October 2025}}

The main Iranian forces in the region consisted of the [[5th Kurdistan Division|5th]] and 12th Infantry Divisions of 30,000 troops with supporting artillery at Sanandaj and Kermanshah. They were all [[light infantry]] (as the mechanised and armour had been stretched thin fighting on multiple fronts). The British reached the outskirts of Shahabad in the early morning of 28 August after delays. By 29 August, the British had reached the town of [[Kerend-e Gharb|Kerend]] and were within {{convert|2|mi|km|order=flip|0}} of Kermanshah and the Iranian commanders were told of the ceasefire order and stood down. The defenders declared Kermanshah an [[open city]] and the British entered on 1 September.{{fact|date=October 2025}}

=== Soviet theatre ===

==== Invasion of Northwestern Iran ====

[[File:British supply convoy in Iran, headed by Soviet BA-10 armored vehicle.jpg|thumb|British supply convoy with Soviet escorts in Iran, September 1941]]
The Soviet forces attacked on 25 August and Iranian airbases were destroyed by preliminary air attacks. The Soviets attacked using three armoured spearheads, totalling over 1,000 tanks and motorised infantry; the Iranians had no tanks in the area.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The first force, consisting of the [[47th Army (Soviet Union)|47th Army]]<ref name="Stone &amp; Stone" /> broke through the border and moved from [[Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet Azerbaijan]] and [[Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet Armenia]] into [[Iranian Azerbaijan]]. They moved towards Tabriz and [[Lake Urmia]]. They captured the Iranian city of [[Jolfa, Iran (city)|Jolfa]]. An Iranian reconnaissance aircraft discovered the forces south of Jolfa moving towards [[Marand]]. It was possible for the Iranian 3rd Division under General Matboodi to move [[motorised infantry]] towards [[Shibli, Iran|Shibli]] to halt the breakthrough, but due to being taken by surprise, he failed to make the proper counter-attack. He also failed to destroy the bridges and highways with explosives, allowing the Soviets to rapidly move through the region.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

The 53rd Army crossed the border and moved towards the city of Ardabil, defended by Iran's 15th Division led by Brigadier-General Qaderi.<ref name="Stone &amp; Stone">{{cite web|last=Stone|first=Stone &amp;|title=War Diary Records for Invasion of Iran 1941|url=http://books.stonebooks.com/record/1000223/}}</ref> Two Iranian regiments began to move towards the town of [[Nir, Ardabil|Nir]] to confront the invaders. Despite having a solid force and well-motivated troops, Qaderi jumped into his car and abandoned his troops. He sabotaged the defence even further by ordering the supply trucks delivering food, weapons and artillery to unload their weapons to make way for his personal belongings. General Qaderi's actions, led to the Iranian troops to be left without any reinforcements, which concluded to a fast defeat against the Soviet Army. The Soviets bypassed Nir and moved south.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} On another front, the Soviet Army launched an attack on the village of Alikaran where the Iranian border guards were caught by surprise. The Officer in command, Khalil Alinejad, ordered his troops back to the village to warn the population of the Soviet invasion, while he and a handful of troops gave them covering fire. Officer Alinejad and his troops were killed, and the village of [[Alikaran]] was shortly captured by the Red-Army forces. Ardabil was bombed by the [[Soviet Air Force]] and received minor damage to its barracks. Cut off and bypassed, both the Iranian 15th Division in Ardabil and the 3rd Division in Tabriz began to collapse. Despite that, the regular troops tried to maintain order and began to march towards the enemy without many of their commanders. However, lacking food, supplies and ammunition, the troops were forced to abandon much of their heavy equipment. Heavy pockets of resistance remained, with some desperate fighting until the end. They were unsurprisingly beaten by the Soviets, who by 26 August, occupied all of Iranian Azerbaijan (including Tabriz and Ardabil).<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

[[File:British soldiers on top of a Soviet T-26 in Iran.jpg|thumb|British soldiers inspecting a Soviet [[T-26]], 31 August 1941]]
On 25 August, the Soviet attack against [[Gilan Province]] began with their [[Caspian Sea Flotilla]], led by Rear-Admiral Sedelnikov. The flotilla consisted of more than a dozen [[patrol boats]], [[destroyers]], multiple anti-aircraft barges and landing craft. Facing them were three Iranian [[gunboats]]. Meanwhile, the 44th Army crossed the border and moved into Gilan Province. They moved along the [[Road 49 (Iran)|Astara highway]] and the main [[Road 22 (Iran)|coastal highway]] (Jadeh-e-Shomal). Heavy Iranian forces in the area made the naval landing force secure Iranian cities, which were then joined by the land forces. The flotilla landed troops and rapidly captured the border city of [[Astara, Iran|Astara]]. The landing force boarded their ships and moved towards their next targets.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

The Iranian forces sank barges at the entrance to Pahlavi harbour, and lacking [[coastal artillery]], moved a [[Artillery battery|battery]] of 75&amp;nbsp;mm guns to the area. The Iranians fought desperately, and despite Soviet superiority, the Iranians prevented them from landing. The Iranians were careful to not fire their guns while Soviet aircraft flew overhead to prevent them from disclosing their location. Soviet aircraft were kept at bay by 47&amp;nbsp;mm anti-aircraft artillery on Iranian barges.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

The next day, however, the Soviet Air Force moved into action, using many [[heavy bombers]]. In groups of 4 aircraft each, their bombers attacked military positions and civilian targets throughout Gilan, including Bandar Pahlavi and Rasht. At least 200 civilians were killed during the bombings. The bombings also destroyed many Iranian positions, and resistance was finally crushed by the 44th Army advancing from land, capturing both cities. Fighting was very intense, and the Soviets took their heaviest casualties of the invasion here. However, lacking armour and air power, the Iranians could not stop the enemy.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} On 28 August, they were forced to surrender. Nevertheless, some Iranian forces refused to accept defeat, and retreated to [[Ramsar, Mazandaran|Ramsar]] to continue fighting. Their efforts were undercut when the Iranian government announced a ceasefire the next day.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

==== Soviet advance on Iranian heartland ====

Meanwhile, the Soviet invasion force in Iranian Azerbaijan had moved south. The 47th Army had been delayed in the Jolfa area when three individual Iranian soldiers managed to block an important bridge until they ran out of ammunition and were killed.<ref name="Stone &amp; Stone" /> The Soviets did not use artillery for fear that they would damage the bridge and delay their advance further.<ref name="fouman.com" /> The 47th Army moved south, capturing Dilman ({{convert|80|mi|km|order=flip|sigfig=1}} west of Tabriz) and then [[Urmia]] (Oromiyeh), ostensibly to block the escape of "German agents". The latter was defended by only a few snipers. The Soviets responded by bombing targets in the city, killing over a dozen people and wounding many others, and much of the city's [[bazaar]] was burned.

Meanwhile, the 53rd Army moved south of Ardebil towards the [[Road 32 (Iran)|Tehran-Karaj-Tabriz highway]], capturing the city of [[Mianeh, East Azerbaijan]] and moving southeast towards Qazvin and Tehran by 27–28 August.<ref name="Stone &amp; Stone" /> Iran's 15th and 3rd divisions had already been bypassed and defeated, and there was only sporadic resistance against the Soviets. The Soviet [[armoured spearhead]] drove down the highway and poised to take Qazvin on the 29th ({{convert|94|mi|km|order=flip}} from Tehran), followed by [[Saveh]] and [[Qom]], south of Tehran, cutting the main [[Road 71 (Iran)|Tehran-Saveh-Persian Gulf highway]] and cutting Iran effectively in two. But the Iranians accepted the ceasefire on 29 August, and the Soviets entered the now "open city" on 30 August. At the same time, elements of the 53rd Army captured the city of Hamadan. One civilian (a small child) was killed in a small bombing raid, and the sporadic resistance was defeated.

==== Invasion of Northeastern Iran ====

On 25 August, the Soviet Army invaded northeastern Iran from [[Soviet Turkmenistan]]. Details of this invasion were not nearly as extensive as details of the others.

Defending Mashhad and [[Khorasan Province]] was Iran's 9th Infantry Division, totalling 8,000 troops. They were light infantry, and it was unlikely that they could defend against the more numerous Soviet forces with armour and air power. The Soviet Air Force bombed [[Mashhad Airport]], destroying many Iranian fighter aircraft, along with numerous military barracks. The Soviet forces advanced in three columns across the border.

=== Final phase and outcome ===

[[File:Preparations for the Joint Russo-British military parade in Tehran.jpg|thumb|left|British and Soviet officers inspect troops, in preparations to the Joint Soviet-British military parade in Tehran. Iran, September 1941.]]
By 28–29 August 1941, the Iranian military situation was in complete chaos. The Allies had complete control over the skies of Iran, and large sections of the country were in their hands. Major Iranian cities (such as Tehran) were suffering repeated air raids. In Tehran itself, the casualties had been light, but the Soviet Air Force dropped leaflets over the city, warning the population of an upcoming massive bombing raid and urging them to surrender before they suffered imminent destruction.<ref name=Milani /> Tehran water and food supply had faced shortages, and soldiers fled in fear of the Soviets killing them upon capture. Faced with total collapse, the royal family (except the Shah and the Crown Prince) fled to [[Isfahan]].<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name=Milani>{{cite book|last=Milani|first=Abbas|title=The Shah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1KzcyArbWMkC&amp;q=Ahmad+Nakhjavan&amp;pg=PA79|isbn=978-1-4039-7193-7|year=2011|publisher=Macmillan }}</ref>

The collapse of the army that Reza Shah had spent so much time and effort creating was humiliating. Many of the military generals had behaved incompetently or secretly sympathised with the British and ended up sabotaging the Iranian resistance.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The army generals met in secret to discuss surrender options. When the Shah learned of the generals' actions, he beat the head of the armed forces General [[Ahmad Nakhjavan]] with a cane and physically stripped him of his rank. He was nearly shot by the Shah on the spot, but at the insistence of the Crown Prince, he was sent to prison instead.<ref name=Milani />

The Shah ordered the resignation of the pro-British [[Prime Minister of Iran|Prime Minister]] Ali Mansur, whom he blamed for demoralising the military.<ref name=Milani /> He was replaced with [[Mohammad Ali Foroughi]], a former prime minister.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The Shah ordered the Iranian military to end resistance and order a ceasefire. He entered into negotiations with the British and Soviets.<ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name=Milani />

[[File:The British Army in the Middle East 1941 E5327.jpg|thumb|Indian troops guarding the [[Abadan Refinery]] in Iran, 4 September 1941]]
Foroughi was an enemy of Reza Shah (he was forced into retirement in earlier years for political reasons, and his son was executed by firing squad). When he entered into negotiations with the British, instead of negotiating a favourable settlement, Foroughi implied that both he and the Iranian people wanted to be "liberated" from the Shah's rule.<ref name=Milani /> The British and Foroughi agreed that for the Allies to withdraw from Iran, the Iranians would have to assure that the German minister and his staff should leave Tehran; the German, Italian, Hungarian and Romanian [[legation]]s should close and all remaining German nationals (including all families) to be handed over to the British and Soviet authorities. The last order would mean almost certain internment or, in the case of those handed to the Soviets, possible death. Reza Shah delayed on the last demand. Instead, he planned the secret evacuation of all German nationals from Iran. By 18 September, most of the German nationals had escaped via the Turkish border.<ref name="fouman.com" />

In response to the Shah's defiance, the Red Army on 16 September moved to occupy Tehran. Fearing execution by the communists, many people (especially the wealthy) fled the city. Reza Shah, in a letter handwritten by Foroughi, announced his [[abdication]], as the Soviets entered the city on 17 September. The British wanted to restore the Qajar dynasty to power because they had served British interests well prior to Reza Shah's reign. However, the heir to the throne, [[Hamid Hassan Mirza]], was a [[British citizen]] who spoke no [[Persian language|Persian]]. Instead, with the help of [[Ardeshir Reporter]], [[Crown Prince]] [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] took the oath to become the Shah of Iran.<ref name=Milani /> Reza Shah was arrested before he was able to leave Tehran, and he was placed into British custody. He was exiled as a British prisoner to [[British Mauritius]] for 7 months, before being sent to [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]], where he died in 1944.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ahmed Khan |first1=Iqbal |title=Diplomacy: what lies behind the Iran-Mauritius thaw? |date=20 March 2023 |url=https://lexpress.mu/node/420404 |publisher=L'Express |access-date=2023-03-20}}</ref><ref name="Farrokh 03" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}} The Allies withdrew from Tehran on 17 October and Iran was partitioned between Britain and the Soviet Union for the duration of the war, with the Soviets stationed in northern Iran and the British south of Hamadan and Qazvin.

== Occupation ==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Mechanical Workshops at Hamadan during WW II.jpg|thumb|A picture of a mechanical workshop belonging to the British Army which was tasked to repair and provide service for [[the Soviet Army]]'s trucks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1729|title=Mechanical Works in Hamadan|access-date=15 September 2014}}</ref>]] -->[[File:Iran oil concession.png|alt=Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran|thumb|Soviet and British sphere of influence, Iran, 1946]]
The [[Persian Corridor]] became the route for a massive flow of supplies (over 5 million tons of [[matériel]]) to the Soviet Union and also the British in the Middle East. At the end of August 1942, German intelligence agents spread leaflets in Tabriz and other cities; an underground fascist organisation called Melnune Iran, was founded. Agents of Melnune Iran instigated anti-government protests in the Lake Urmia region. The [[Bakhtiari people|Bakhtiari]] and [[Qashqai people|Qashqai]] peoples carried out armed resistance against the new government.{{sfn|Гречко/Grechko|1976|p=224}}

The new Shah signed a [[Tripartite Treaty (1942)|Tripartite Treaty]] Alliance with Britain and the Soviet Union on 29 January 1942. This treaty committed the Allies to leaving Iran "not more than six months after the cessation of hostilities". In September 1943, Iran declared war on Germany, which qualified it for membership in the [[Declaration by United Nations|United Nations]] (UN). At the [[Tehran Conference]] in November of that year, Roosevelt, [[Winston Churchill]] and [[Joseph Stalin]] reaffirmed their commitment to Iranian independence and territorial integrity, with a willingness to extend economic assistance to Iran. The treaty ruled that Iran was not considered to be "occupied" by the Allies, but instead a member of the Allies.<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

[[File:Abadanairfield.jpg|thumb|[[Lend-Lease]] Program US planes ([[Douglas A-20 Havoc]]) stand ready to be picked up at Abadan Air Field, Iran.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet_media.asp?fsID=1668|title=Abadan Airfield Photo|access-date=15 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140928004243/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet_media.asp?fsID=1668|archive-date=28 September 2014}}</ref>]]
The effects of the war were very disruptive for Iran. Much of the [[Soviet bureaucracy|state bureaucracy]] had been damaged by the invasion and food and other essential items were scarce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history.sandiego.edu/GEN/WW2tIMELINE/iran.html |title=Iran in world War II|access-date=12 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016033236/http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2Timeline/iran.html |archive-date=16 October 2009 }}</ref> The Soviets appropriated most of the harvest in northern Iran, leading to food shortages for the general public. The British and Soviet occupiers used the delivery of grain as a bargaining chip and the food crisis was exacerbated because foreign troops needed to eat and use the transport network to move military equipment. The British meanwhile pressured the Shah to appoint [[Ahmad Qavam]] to be the prime minister, who proceeded to mismanage the entire food supply and economy. In 1942, bread riots took place in Tehran, [[martial law]] was declared and several rioters were killed by the police. [[Inflation]] increased by 450 percent, imposing great hardship on the lower and middle classes. In some areas there were [[Iranian famine of 1942–1943|famine]] deaths but there was virtually no armed resistance against the occupation.<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

[[File:Supply train through the Persian Corridor.jpg|thumb|A [[supply train]] passing through Iran after the invasion]]
In 1943, 30,000 Americans helped to man the Persian Corridor and 26–34 percent of the supplies sent to the Soviet Union under the [[Lend-Lease Act]] were sent through Iran. The Americans also assuaged Iranian fears of colonisation by the two powers by confirming that they would respect the independence of Iran. The US also extended Lend-Lease assistance to Iran and began to train the Iranian army. [[Arthur Millspaugh]] became the finance minister of Iran but ran into much opposition trying to direct Iranian finances.<ref name="Pollack 05" />{{page needed|date=August 2022}}

There were two notable German attempts to undertake operations against the Allies in 1943. In the middle of 1943, [[Abwehr]]'s [[Operation François]] was an attempt to use the dissident Qashqai people in Iran to sabotage British and American supplies bound for the Soviet Union. Also in 1943, [[Operation Long Jump]] was, allegedly, an unsuccessful German plot to assassinate the "Big Three" Allied leaders (Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt) at the Tehran Conference.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Blum|first=Howard|date=2 June 2020|title=The Search for the Truth About the Nazi Plot to Assassinate FDR|url=https://time.com/5846195/wwii-assassination-plot/|access-date=2021-08-25|magazine=Time|language=en}}</ref>

== Withdrawal ==
{{Further|Iran crisis of 1946}}

On 12 December 1945, after weeks of violent clashes, a Soviet-backed separatist [[People's Republic of Azerbaijan]] was founded. The [[Kurdish People's Republic]] was also established in late 1945. Iranian government troops sent to reestablish control were blocked by Red Army units.

When the deadline for withdrawal arrived on 2 March 1946, six months after the end of the war, the British began to withdraw, but Moscow refused, citing "threats to Soviet security". Soviet troops did not withdraw from Iran proper until May 1946, following Iran's official complaint to the newly formed [[United Nations Security Council]], which became the first complaint filed by a country in the UN's history, and a test for the UN's effectiveness in resolving global issues in the aftermath of the war. However, the UN Security Council took no direct steps to pressure the Soviets to withdraw.<ref name=UN-History>{{cite web|url=http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2055.html|title=UN History|access-date=15 September 2014}}</ref>

== See also ==
<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
{{Div col|small=yes}}
* [[List of British military equipment of World War II]] 
* [[List of Soviet Union military equipment of World War II]] 
* [[Anglo-Iraqi War]] (1941)
* [[Anglo-Persian Oil Company]]
* [[Anglo-Persian War]] (1856–1857)
* [[Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907]]
* [[Anglo-Soviet Treaty of 1942]]
* [[Dunsterforce]]
* [[Foreign interventions by the Soviet Union]]
* [[History of Iran]]
*[[Iranian famine of 1942–1943]]
* [[1941 Iranian legislative election]]
* [[Iran-Britain relations]]
* [[Iran-Russia relations]]
* [[Iraqforce]]
* [[Persian campaign (World War I)|Persian Campaign in World War One]]
* [[Persian Corridor]]
* [[Russo-Persian Wars]]
* [[Trans-Iranian Railway]]
* [[1953 Iranian coup d'état]]
{{Div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=John |last=Esposito |author-link=John L. Esposito |title=Islam and Politics |edition=4th |publisher=Syracuse University Press |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-8156-2774-6}}
* {{cite book |first=А. А. |last=Гречко/Grechko |year=1976 |title=Годы Войны/Gody voiny, 1941–1943 |language=ru |trans-title=The War Years, 1941–1943 |publisher=Voenizdat |location=Moskva |oclc=14013882 }}
* {{cite book |first=Compton |last=Mackenzie |author-link=Compton Mackenzie |title=Eastern Epic: September 1939 – March 1943, Defence |volume=I | publisher=Chatto &amp; Windus |location=London |year=1951 |oclc=53462081}}
* Kozhanov, Nikolay A. "The Pretexts and Reasons for the Allied Invasion of Iran in 1941." ''Iranian Studies'' 45#4 (2012): 479–497.
* {{cite book |last=Pollack |first=Kenneth |title=The Persian Puzzle: The Conflict between Iran and America |publisher=Random House |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-4000-6315-4 |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/persianpuzzlecon00poll }}
* Stewart, Richard A. ''Sunrise at Abadan: the British and Soviet invasion of Iran, 1941'' (Praeger Publishers, 1988), A standard scholarly history.
* {{cite book |first=Archibald |last=Wavell |author-link=Archibald Wavell |year=1942 |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/37685.pdf |title=Despatch on Operations in Iraq, East Syria, and Iran From 10th April, 1941 to 12th January 1942 |publisher=[[HMSO]] |location=London}} as published in {{London Gazette |issue=37685 |pages=4093–4101 |supp=y |date=13 August 1946}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1130121.shtml BBC WW2 People's War – Persia Invaded]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071228100005/http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-cmdarmy/os-paic.htm Persia and Iraq Command]
* [http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/us_iran.html Strange Menagerie: the US in Iran 1941–1946]
* [https://archive.today/20121209213014/http://www.britains-smallwars.com/RRGP/Vic/index.html%235#5 Pink Elephants on the road to Baghdad – personal account of the invasion by a British soldier]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/37685.pdf |title=Despatch on Operations in Iraq, East Syria, and Iran From 10th April, 1941, to 12th January 1942|website=Supplement to the [[London Gazette]], Number 37685|date=13 August 1946|access-date=26 September 2009}}
* {{London Gazette|issue=37703|pages=4333–4340 |supp=y|date=27 August 1946}} General Sir H. Maitland Wilson's official despatch on the Persia and Iraq Command covering the period 21 August 1942 to 17 February 1943, after the invasion had been completed.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091016033236/http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2Timeline/iran.html Persia in World War 2]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060507015106/http://www.lasecondaguerramondiale.it/iran.html History of the campaign (in Italian)]

{{Changes in political power in Iran}}
{{World War II}}
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{{Iran-United Kingdom relations}}
{{Iran–Russia relations}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iran}}
[[Category:British military occupations]]
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