Studying the Government's Action against Wheat Smuggling in Iran-Iraq Border

Geographically located at the juncture of international trade routes, the Western border of Iran used to be one of the goods smuggling center. The establishment of Iraq and its extended border with Iran influenced the relations between these two countries, particularly with regard to wheat smuggling. The significance of wheat as the main source of nourishment, the geographical location, the Second World War and unwanted engagement of Iran in this issue intensified the smuggling of goods in Iran-Iraq border. This had some consequences and eventually resulted in new supervisory laws to be passed for commercial relations with Iraq. The present study, employing a library-oriented and descriptive-analytic research method, examines the actions of the government against wheat smuggling in Iran-Iraq border during the first Pahlavi era up to the early months of occupation of Iran by the Allied forces. The findings of the study reveal that despite the efforts of the government for preventing wheat smuggling to Iraq, other issues like poverty, lack of facilities for legal economic activities, variety of decision-making organs likedeputy of security affairs and customsduties, bordersinsecurity, internal struggles in Iraq, and lack of cooperation with Iran, and occupation of Iran by the Allied forces acted as obstacles that prevented the Iranian government from acting against wheat smuggling to Iraq.