A Letter Documenting the Ahwazi People’s Appeal to the British Government in 1942 to End the Iranian Occupation

In 1942, the Ahwazi people issued an official appeal to the British government, demanding an end to the injustices they endured and seeking the restoration of their usurped national rights.

This appeal was sent in a letter addressed to the British Ambassador in Baghdad, where the Ahwazi people expressed their suffering under the control of the Iranian regime and stressed the need to end the oppression and ongoing violations.

The letter outlined the deteriorating living conditions and the political marginalization faced by the Ahwazi people following the forced annexation of Al-Ahwaz by Iran in 1925. Below is the text of the letter:

To His Excellency the Ambassador of His Majesty’s Government in Baghdad,

It is an honor to address Your Excellency with the utmost respect and loyalty, hoping that our plea will reach the ears of His Majesty’s Government.

The Arab region of Arabistan has long suffered at the hands of Persian officials, who have subjected us to severe injustice and grave humiliation, especially following the absence of our esteemed leader and your loyal friend, Sir Sheikh Khazal.

The arrival of your victorious armies in Arabistan was a glimmer of hope for us. Our hearts were filled with joy as we looked to you for the restoration of the freedom you have always championed. We were certain your presence would liberate us from the grip of the dictatorship that has ravaged our lives for 16 long years. However, to our dismay, those who once raised arms against you have now assumed control over us, increasing their oppression and persecution after discovering our loyalty to His Majesty’s Government.

We have submitted numerous petitions to your representatives regarding our demands and rights. Now, we address Your Excellency directly, requesting your kind intervention to ensure our rights as an Arab people, equal to the rights enjoyed by other Arab nations. We assure you of our unwavering commitment to His Majesty’s Government and pledge, in the name of Almighty God, to remain loyal and willing to sacrifice for the protection of all British interests in our region. This commitment is the same as it was during the reign of our late ruler, Sheikh Khazal, who never hesitated to fulfill your requests.

Our silence in the face of the oppression we endure has never been born out of fear but out of respect for mutual interests and a constant readiness to sacrifice for them. However, with the worsening circumstances, we now ask Your Excellency to intervene urgently to prevent unfavorable developments between us and the Persians.

We trust that His Majesty’s Government will not ignore our demands, particularly given the loyalty we have shown in the past and continue to demonstrate today.

Please accept our sincerest expressions of respect and esteem.