本文探討20世紀初期，伊朗石油開採，對英國與伊朗關係產生的影響。1901年，英國與伊朗簽訂石油開採許可權，英國擁有在伊朗鑽油井的權利。20世紀初期，時值伊朗立憲運動，中央政府衰弱，英國欲穩固石油利益，與石油開採區的地方勢力，如巴賀提亞里部落與穆哈梅拉鎮的哈左酋長，也有密切的交涉。1905年的《巴賀提亞里協議》，便是英國與部落在石油議題協商的結果。1908年石油在巴賀提亞里部落區開挖成功，但隨之問題也來。石油工程區的保安問題，頗有爭執，還有土地使用與買賣的糾紛。在穆哈梅拉鎮，英國與酋長原本關係就密切，雙方在1909年簽訂協議後，英國得以在酋長領地內鋪設油管、建煉油廠。石油議題，提高了英國與伊朗地方交涉的重要性。此外，英國在伊朗開發石油，有因應外在壓力的對策。長期以來俄國為英國在中亞與中東勢力範圍的競爭對手，伊朗北部為俄國影響力比較大的部份。因此，1901年的石油開採許可權裡，已寫明了不在俄國勢力範圍內開採石油。1912年之後，英國政府有感其他石油公司勢力逐漸擴張，便促使英國—波斯石油公司供給石油給海軍作為燃料，以鞏固石油利益。英國—波斯石油公司與海軍也有意願合作，雙方於1914年簽署合約，伊朗石油因此有更進一步的發展。

This article explores the discovery of oil by the British in the South-West Iran from the beginning of the twentieth century to the start of World War I. After the signing of the Oil Concession of 1901 by the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Iran, the British obtained right to drill oil in the Iranian territory. It was a time that Iran experienced a constitutional revolution, resulting in unstable politics. Local people in the South-West of Iran, such as the Sheykh of Mohammerah and the Bakhtiyari tribe, hence, were the main subjects that the British preferred to negotiate. The British signed the Bakhtiyari Agreement of 1905 with the Khans, and signed an agreement for lease of lands for construction of pipelines and refineries in 1909, in which the Sheykh got a stronger relationship with the British. In addition, the U.K. faced some pressures outside of Iran. The first was Russia, who rivaled to the U.K. in Central Asia and the Middle East for a long period. The Oil Concession of 1901 stipulated that Britain had no right to drill oil in northern Iran under Russia's influence. The Concession was protected by the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. In addition, growth of some oil companies became threats to Britain's Iranian oil from 1912. In 1914, therefore, the British Admiralty and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, with the British Foreign Office's support, signed an agreement that oil was to be supplied to the British Admiralty.