Soldiers of disbanded Iranian Army watch British forces take over their country near Kavzin, Iran 🇮🇷 c.1941
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The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the joint invasion of the neutral Imperial State of Iran by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union in August 1941. The invasion was largely unopposed by the numerically and technologically outmatched Iranian forces. The multi-pronged coordinated invasion took place along Iran's borders with the Kingdom of Iraq, Azerbaijan SSR, and Turkmen SSR, with fighting beginning on 25 August and ending on 31 August when the Iranian government formally agreed to surrender.
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The invasion's purpose was to ensure the safety of supply lines to the USSR, secure Iranian oil fields, limit German influence in Iran and preempt a possible Axis advance from Turkey through Iran toward British India. Following the invasion, on 16 September 1941, the invading British forced Reza Shah into exile. He was replaced by his young son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.