To start, a little background on Iran & pre-independence #Malaysia. Being a part of the #BritishEmpire, the individual Malayan states did not have independent ties with Iran. Since the 19th c, #Iran had been engaged with British imperial designs within & around its borders -RAR
With the formalisation of Britain’s informal empire throughout the 19th c, governance of the #PersianGulf states mirrored that of the #Malayan sultanates - with the appointment of advisers and the implementation of foreign policy. -RAR
Qajar Iran, though independent, was subject to British and Russian imperial designs - better known as the Great Game. But Iranian foreign policy evolved considerably after the 20th c & with Reza Shah, with closer ties to Germany and beyond the British-Russian paradigm. -RAR
Indeed #Persians have been in the region noticeably since the 16th century. The Siamese #Ayutthaya kingdom established relations with #Safavid Iran. Persians also settled in the rest of the region, including in the Malaccan kingdom.See: iranicaonline.org - RAR
Interesting to note is the subjugation both #Iran & colonial #Malaya felt under British rule. This shared experience as being a part of Britain’s formal & informal empire strengthened bilateral bond. #BritishEmpire -RAR
That’s all for today! Thanks for tuning in. Tomorrow, I’ll look at the formalisation of relations between #Iran & #Malaysia after independence. I’d love to hear from you and respond to any questions you might have -RAR. #MalaysiaIran #history Until we meet again -
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