TEHERAN: The Iranian Cabinet held an extraordinary session today [June 13] to consider their next steps in the take-over of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company installations in Southern Iran. Usually reliable sources here said that the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company’s Manager at Abadan, Mr Eric Drake, had refused to hand over Company documents, books and accounts to the Iranian representatives charged with the take-over of the Company. Mr Drake told the Iranian Commission: “The Iranian Government’s action is invalid as far as we are concerned until we receive instructions from London[.]” … The … Iranian Board refused a dinner invitation from AIOC officials.
The Board offered oil for sale a month from now to cash customers “at international prices” in a note published in Abadan. The source said the Iranian take-over delegates now at Abadan … had told the Government that Mr Drake had said he would have to await the result of the Teheran talks before complying with any demands of the [board].
The Iranians had earlier asked Mr Drake to hand over 75 per cent of the proceeds of all oil produced since March 20… . The remaining … was to be set aside for possible compensation.
Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2026