Questions about Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran and when did it happen?
The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, code named Operation Countenance, was a joint British and Soviet attack on the officially neutral Imperial State of Iran that began on the 25th of August, 1941, and ended on the 31st of August when the Iranian government formally agreed to surrender. The invasion was motivated by the need to secure the Persian Corridor supply route to the Soviet Union, protect Iranian oil fields, and limit German influence in the country.
Why did Britain and the Soviet Union invade Iran in 1941?
The primary strategic goals were to secure the Persian Corridor, formed by the Trans-Iranian Railway, as a route for Lend-Lease supplies to the Soviet Union; to protect the Abadan Refinery, which refined eight million tons of oil in 1940; and to prevent German agents already operating in Iran from using the country as a platform for further Axis operations. Reza Shah's refusal to expel German nationals triggered the final decision to invade.
What happened to Reza Shah after the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran?
Reza Shah abdicated on the 16th of September, 1941, as Soviet forces entered Tehran. He was arrested before he could leave the city, placed in British custody, and exiled as a British prisoner to British Mauritius for seven months. He was then sent to South Africa, where he died in 1944. His son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was installed as the new Shah.
How long did the Allied occupation of Iran last after the invasion?
The occupation lasted until 1946. The British began withdrawing on the 2nd of March, 1946, six months after the end of World War II as required by the Tripartite Treaty Alliance signed on the 29th of January, 1942. The Soviet Union delayed its withdrawal until May 1946, citing threats to Soviet security, and only left after Iran filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council.
What was Iran's complaint to the United Nations about the Anglo-Soviet invasion?
Iran's complaint to the United Nations Security Council over the Soviet refusal to withdraw in March 1946 became the first complaint ever filed by a country in the UN's history. The Security Council did not take direct steps to compel Soviet withdrawal. Soviet troops left Iran proper in May 1946 following sustained diplomatic pressure.
How did the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran affect the Iranian population during World War II?
The occupation caused severe hardship. The Soviets appropriated most of the harvest in northern Iran, creating food shortages. Inflation rose by four hundred and fifty percent, devastating the lower and middle classes. In 1942, bread riots broke out in Tehran, martial law was declared, and several rioters were killed by police. In some areas there were famine deaths during the occupation.