Anglo-Persian War

Anglo-Persian War
Part of the Great Game

Battle of Khushab (1857) by Illustrated London News
Date1 November 1856 – 4 April 1857
(5 months and 3 days)
Location
Southern Persia
Result

British victory

Belligerents
Afghanistan Sublime State of Iran
Commanders and leaders
Gen. James Outram
M.G. Foster Stalker
Dost Mohammad
Nasser al-Din Shah
Khanlar Mirza
Mehr Ali Khan Nuri
Mirza Mohammad
Gov. Tahmasp Mirza
Strength

British Expeditionary Force:

  • 1st Div. - 5,700 troops
  • 2nd Div. - 4,400 troops

Fars Division:

  • 6,000 Nezam and Irregular Infantry
  • 2,000 Regular Cavalry

Khanlar Mirza's Army:

  • 10,000–13,000 troops

The Anglo-Persian War, also known as the Anglo-Iranian War (Persian: جنگ ایران و انگلستان, romanized: Jange Irân o Engelestan), was a war fought between the United Kingdom and Iran, which was ruled by the Qajar dynasty. The war had the British oppose an attempt by Iran to press its claim on the city of Herat. Though Herat had been part of Iran under the Qajar dynasty when the war broke out, it had declared itself independent under its own rebellious emir and placed itself under the protection of the British in India and in alliance with the Emirate of Kabul, the predecessor of the modern state of Afghanistan. The British campaign was successfully conducted under the leadership of Major General Sir James Outram in two theatres: on the southern coast of Iran near Bushehr and in southern Mesopotamia.

The war resulted in the Iranians withdrawing from Herat and signing a new treaty to surrender their claims on the city and the British withdrawing from southern Iran.