AIOC Archive 1951-1955
The Mossadegh Project |

A collection of financial statements and press releases from the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC / BP / British Petroleum).
• British House of Commons | Iran Archive
• British House of Lords | Iran Archive
• British Foreign Office | Iran Archive
• International Court of Justice | Iran Archive
December 1951 | First Full Statement On Situation In Iran
January 1952 | Annual General Meeting
June 1952 | Increased Supplies From Other Sources Offset Iranian Cessation
May 1953 | First Full Year Without Supplies From Iran
May 1954 | Formation of Consortium To Negotiate Settlement of Iranian Dispute
December 1954 | Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Limited Name Changed to The British Petroleum Company Limited
May 1955 | Record Sales In 1954 | Lord Strathalmond's Statement
April 29, 1951 | Finance Minister Mohammad Ali Varasteh to Richard Seddon
May 8, 1951 | Richard Seddon to Premier Mohammad Mossadegh (via William Fraser)
September 1951 | Announcement by Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, Limited
August 1952 | Announcement by Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, Limited
March 12, 1954 | Basis for the Settlement with Anglo-Iranian Oil Co.
August 5, 1954 | Statement by Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
William Fraser (Chairman)
Basil Jackson (Deputy Chairman)
Eric Drake (General Manager, Abadan | Chairman 1959-1975)
Richard Seddon (Chief Representative in Tehran)
Kenneth Ross (Manager, Abadan)
Peter Thomas Cox (Chief Geologist)
Neville Gass
Alec Mason
Lord Alan Brooke (Alanbrooke) (Board of Directors)
Elihu Lauterpacht (AIOC Legal Team)
Hartley Shawcross (AIOC Legal Team)
E. H. O. Elkington
Ernest G. Northcroft
Harold Snow
Gilbert Whigham
Leonard Rice
Movietone News (Britain), June 14, 1951: “Two members of the delegation going out to Persia for talks on the oil crisis, Mr. Jackson, Deputy Chairman of the Anglo Iranian Oil Company, and Mr. Elkington, leave from London Airport in quest of a fair deal.”
Movietone News (Britain), October 8, 1951: “Among early arrivals at London Airport from Abadan were members of the British hospital staff. A personal view of the situation was given by the Matron, Miss Dorothy Ridge and one of the Sisters. Also home in Britain were members of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company — part of the rear guard. One of them gave us his reaction. The story continues at the Security Council meeting in New York, where Sir Gladwyn Jebb has the task of explaining the reason for bringing the oil dispute before the United Nations.”
British Pathé (Britain), October 1951: “Unissued / Unused material. Pathe’s John Parsons interviews people arriving at London Airport from the Anglo-Iranian oil company’s terminal in Abadan after the take over. Cuts from 51/81. Parsons interviews Mr Downer. He has been working in the oil industry for a long time. He feels that the Iranians can’t run their oil refinery without the British engineers. He talks about providing milk for the local people. VS of people at airport after returning. Parsons interviews Mr Smith. He worked in the power station. Parsons interviews various other returning workers. Most of them seem to eel the Persians won’t be able to run things. Parsons interviews Mr Haskett. Parson interviews Mr Haslett - he suggests that they should have sent the troops in to keep the refinery in British hands. Spacing. Two unidentified men make statement.”
Movietone News (Britain), October 11, 1951: “The return of the last Anglo-Iranian Oil Company men, the refineries General Manager, Mr. Ross and the acting General Manager in the oil province, Mr. Mason, made headline news. Mr. Ross made comment on the Abadan evacuation.”
British Pathé (Britain), October 1951: “Unissued / Unused material. Pathe’s John Parsons interviews people arriving at London Airport from the Anglo-Iranian oil company’s terminal in Abadan after the take over. Cuts from 51/81. London Airport. LV Aircraft taxiing in. SV Aircraft taxiing in. (2 shots). LV Pressman, pan to Iranian Oil Co. personnel posing by aircraft. Returning workers are greeted. Good shot of couple kissing. VS of press filming returning workers. VS of returning workers. GV Crowds at airport. (3 shots). SV Aircraft taxiing in. SV Anglo-Iranian personnel leaving aircraft. Cataloguer’s Note: Among those returning are presumably Mr Ross, Mr Mason and Mr Haslett - MD.”
Related links:
British Foreign Office Documents on Iran, Mossadegh | 1951-1954
The Petroleum Industry of Iran | U.S. Dept. of the Interior (1963)
Foreign Affairs (Middle East) | House of Commons, July 30, 1951
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”




