Answer:
Great Britain encouraged Arab revolts against the Ottoman Empire as a way to weaken it during the First World War. It promised them independent kingdoms and was also interested in a trade relationship after the war. Sharif Hussein, who was the Emir of Mecca, was an Ottoman ally. But after learning Turkish plans to get rid of him after the war, he was disatisfied. He entered in contact with London through the famous agent T.E. Lawrence. In his exchanges with the British, he made it clear that he expected to be appointed the ruler of a new, large Arab state after the war.
Explanation:
The colonial powers that strove to control Iran because of its geopolitical location were Russia and Britain. Russia controlled the north of the country while the south was under the British. The people tried to constitutionalise their country when the King repeatedly failed to deliver even though he promised to. Twice in the early modern period did Iran try to become a democracy with a constitution and rights for the people. Both times the efforts of the people were thwarted and crushed by external colonial influence. The continued interest of the Colonisers in the oil of Iran meant that they were not willing to let the people have a fair share of say or profit in the way the national resources of the country were used.
