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Anglo-Persian War | |||||||
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Part of the Great Game | |||||||
Battle of Khushab (1857) by Illustrated London News | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Afghanistan | State of Persia | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Gen. James Outram M.G. Foster Stalker Dost Mohammad |
Nasser al-Din Shah Khanlar Mirza Mehr Ali Khan Nuri Mirza Mohammad Gov. Tahmasp Mirza | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
British Expeditionary Force:
|
Fars Division:
Khanlar Mirza's Army:
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
250+ | 700+ |
The Anglo-Persian War, also known as the Anglo-Iranian War (Persian: جنگ ایران و انگلستان, romanized: Jange Irân o Engelestan), was a war fought between the United Kingdom and Iran, which was ruled by the Qajar dynasty. The war had the British oppose an attempt by Iran to press its claim on the city of Herat. Though Herat had been part of Iran under the Qajar dynasty when the war broke out, it had declared itself independent under its own rebellious emir and placed itself under the protection of the British in India and in alliance with the Emirate of Kabul, the predecessor of the modern state of Afghanistan. The British campaign was successfully conducted under the leadership of Major General Sir James Outram in two theatres: on the southern coast of Persia near Bushehr and in southern Mesopotamia.
The war resulted in the Persians withdrawing from Herat and signing a new treaty to surrender its claims on the city and the British withdrawing from southern Iran.
Relations between Britain and Iran were further exacerbated by an imbroglio with the British Minister to Iran, Mr. Murray, who left Tehran in high dudgeon. Mīrzā Āqā Khan turned his attention to Herat where (1855) a new opportunity to reestablish Iranian control presented itself. Grasping the opportunity, the Shah sent an army do Afghanistan. In October, 1856, Herat fell to the Iranians. In response Britain began the Anglo-Persian war (q.v.) which resulted in Iran's quick defeat and the conclusion of the peace treaty of Paris in 1857, by which Iran finally gave up its claim to Afghanistan.