Bahrain: From Persian Gulf Outpost to Independent Isle

The question of Bahrain's ultimate status came to a head in the late 1960s as Britain prepared to withdraw from its colonial commitments east of Suez. Faced with the impending British departure, Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, while initially maintaining strong claims, eventually agreed to a United Nations-sponsored opinion poll in 1970 to determine the wishes of the Bahraini people. The poll, conducted under UN supervision, found that the vast majority of Bahrainis desired independence. This outcome led to the unanimous passing of UN Security Council Resolution 278, paving the way for Bahrain's independence on August 14, 1971.