Britain’s Foreign Policy Pattern in the Persian Gulf (18th and 19th Centuries)

Abstract
The British Empire was the predominant power in the Persian Gulf region from the 17th through the 20th century. To maintain her predominance and protect her interests in the region the British Empire went on great lengths and employed certain instruments and utilized well-defined patterns. Among the countries in the region Iran stood out as a significant force, for which reason, the British established special relations with it. The quality of Irano-British relations, however, depended on the power of the central government in Iran and was influenced by great power rivalries on the international scene as well. Assuming that foreign policy is comprised of constant and variable elements, it is immensely important to study British comportment, their policy pattern and preferred tools through the history as it can contribute to a more accurate understanding of its modern-day policies. The main question driving this article is what objectives did the British pursue and what patterns did they follow in their foreign policy in the Persian Gulf? The hypothesis is that Britain used a peculiar and rather unique pattern to spread its colonial rule and strengthen its hegemony in the region; it exerted its power on political, economic and military plains and exploited the local actors to further its goals in the Persian Gulf region.