Conflicts & Resolutions · Campaign

Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran

1941 · 20th century · Part of the Second World War

The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran took place in August and September 1941, when British and Soviet forces occupied the country to secure its oilfields and a supply route to the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Reza Shah, suspected of German sympathies, was forced to abdicate in favour of his son Mohammad Reza Shah, and Iran remained occupied until 1946.

Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
Image: Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Pahlavi Iran

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/anglo-soviet-invasion-of-iran
MLA
“Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/anglo-soviet-invasion-of-iran. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/anglo-soviet-invasion-of-iran.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/anglo-soviet-invasion-of-iran (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻