Journal of Diplomatics Studies and Research

Date Trade and Export during the Pahlavi Era According to Iranian National Archival Documents

https://doi.org/10.22034/dpr.2026.242129
Volume 1, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
March 2026
Pages 198-218
Journal of Diplomatics Studies and Research

Document Type : Original Article

Author

الهام ملک زاده

Associate professor. Department of social and economic history , Institute of history, Research institute of humanities and cultural studies , Tehran , IRAN.

Abstract
Dates are the main agricultural product of the southern regions of Iran, which have long played a vital role in the livelihood of palm growers and the economy of the region. Simultaneously with the establishment of the Pahlavi government and the nationalization of foreign trade with the Soviet Union in 1920, the trade of the northern regions of Iran with the Soviet Union was disrupted and caused great losses to the farmers and merchants of northern Iran. After the establishment of Reza Shah Pahlavi, foreign trade was taken into consideration and efforts were made to compensate for the damage caused. With this aim, paying special attention to dates as a strategic product of the southern regions of Iran. It was one of the first actions of the government to organize the existing situation according to the suggestions and recommendations of the local authorities of Khouzestan province.
the government of Iran supported the palm growers in the south. From the summer of 1928/1307, he applied facilities such as exempting foreign buyers of dates from paying taxes. During the Second World War, there was a shortage of food in Iran. As a result, the export of dates from the ports of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman was banned. After the war, the government of Mohammad Reza Shah allowed the export of dates only from Khorramshahr and Bandar Shahpour, and it was possible to export from Bandar Abbas and Minab city only if there was a surplus of dates. The present article, with a descriptive-analytical research method based on the National Archives of Iran documents, examines the above issue. it will evaluate the efforts of Iranian governments to develop the export of dates and the political and economic challenges of the Pahlavi period.

Keywords

Date trade
date export
Pahlavi era
documentary narrative
National Archives of Iran
Subjects
·        Anjomruz, A. ((1994). Khormastan-e Iran: Including the history of origin and statistics of dates and palm groves (Vol. 1)* [In Persian]. Tehran: Oruj Publishing Institute.
·        Management Services and Information Department of the President's Office. (2001). Foreign exchange and foreign trade monopoly during the Reza Shah era [In Persian]. Tehran: Printing and Publishing Organization of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.
·        Sarraf Joshaghani, H., Abdollahi Safiabadi, H., & Hojjat Farsangi, R. (2010). Date palm packaging technology. Journal of Packaging Science and Techniques, 1(2), 36–55. [In Persian].
·        Taher-Ahmadi, M. (1995). Relations between Iran and the Soviet Union during the Reza Shah era [In Persian]. Tehran: Center for Documents and Diplomatic History.
·        Tafreshi, M., & Taher-Ahmadi, M. (1992). Confidential reports of the Shahrbani (Police) (1945-1947) (Vol. 2) [In Persian]. Tehran: National Archives of Iran.
Archival Documents
·         National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0003-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0004-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0002-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0005-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0006-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0007-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0008-044483-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0002-0470380-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0009-047380-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0002-047859-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0003-047859-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0024-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0023-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0021-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0019-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0016-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0018-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 009-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0012-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0011-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 008-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 0014-050112-310.
·        National Archives of Iran (NLAI), Document No. 004-050112-310.
 

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