The History of Economic Relations between Iran and Germany in Qajar Era (Highlighting Persian Gulf)

Throughout different historical eras, Persian Gulf has always been in the center of attention for regional and trans-regional countries. As Persian Gulf is an extension of the water of Indian Ocean, European colonist countries were attracted to the area in the 19th century which highlighted the importance of the area and especially its harbors and islands.
In the late 19th century, Germans made efforts to exert an influence over Iran in order to achieve political and economic position in Persian Gulf. Emphasizing on commercial and economic relations in Persian Gulf, German tried to exert an influence in Persian Gulf. They sent commercial groups to dominate the trades engaging in Persian Gulf, nevertheless they failed to achieve a leading role in the area due to strength and influence of the Great Britain.
Naser al-Din Shah planned to engage another European country in politics of Iran as a beneficiary in order to encounter the influence of Russian and British representatives in internal affairs of Iran. It could also protect independence of the country and create balance in foreign policies. Following the visit of Naser al-Din Shah to Germany in 1873 a commercial convention between Iran and Germany was agreed in Saint Petersburg which start economic relations between the two countries.
Through a descriptive – analytical method and by means of library study and documentation, the position of Germany in economic affairs in Persian Gulf during the ninetieth and twentieth centuries will be analyzed in the present paper. Based on the findings of this article, Germans managed to achieve a leading role over commercial trades in Persian Gulf from the Constitutional Revolution in Iran until World War I. Although it was profitable for them, it lasted only for a short period of time.