British Diplomatic Oil Crisis: Contemporary Anglo-Saxon Geopolitical Rivalries in the Persian Gulf: Drawing a Lesson? Or Sir Anthony Eden‘s Delusion of Grandeur.

Minister,
Dr. Musaddiq. In his letter,
President Eisenhower informed Musaddiq of the United States’ refusal
to give aid to Iran or buy Iranian oil. This action was taken after
the proposal put forward to the Iranian Government by the American
Government on 20th February 1953, as was discussed in the last
chapter, was rejected by the Iranian Prime Minister. By now the
United States’s State Department openly acknowledged its frustration
with Musaddiq.

In an
attempt to weaken Dr. Musaddiq’s position, by creating a
general economic recession in Iran, the Anglo- Iranian Oil Company,
due to its enormous influence throughout the world, as will be
shown, had already brought about an embargo on Iranian oil, as well
as withdrawing qualified technicians from Iran.

Virtually
no exports of oil from Iran became possible. Former
foreign buyers of Iranian oil on 13th June 1951 were informed that
they might continue for one, month to buy such quantities of oil as
they required on signature of the National Iranian Oil Company’s
receipt. Then onwards they would be allocated quotas in proportion
to the amounts taken by them during the period between January 1948
and 30th March 1951, and to pay for them at the current
international price.

In view
of the political predicament, in spite of the fact that the
notification was posted overseas as well as in Iran, there was
little response. Two ships gave the necessary receipts, but most
were under the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and refused. However, a
number of offers came from private companies in India and the United
States. As well as offering large discounts, the Iranian Government
was also ready to give the buyers:

guarantees against any failure to maintain supplies at the
contracted figure, including compensation for the dispatch of
tankers that had to return empty and losses incurred

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