Stamps, Proofs, and Postal History of Iran related to World War II

Ghiam Yamin

Iran declared neutrality during the early part of World War II. Despite this, the British feared that Iran and its critical oil supply would fall into German hands. This precipitated the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran (code name Operation Countenance), which was the joint invasion by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, in August of 1941. The invasion’s tactical purpose was to safeguard the Allied supply lines to the USSR, secure oil fields, and thwart German influence. The invasion also resulted in the abdication of Iranian Monarch Reza Shah and the rise to power of the crown prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1941.

During this time, the UK and Soviet-controlled post offices in Iran censored all incoming and outgoing mail through the “Anglo-Soviet-Persian” censorship. Other countries, including Iraq, Germany, the UK, and the United States, also censored mail. This resulted in a wide variety of markings and different types of resealing tapes, which tell the story of the cover’s journey during this arduous and tense time in history.