I didn't know the UK killed 10 million Iranians (the most conservative sources say 2 million) through a deliberately engineered famine

The 1917-1919 Persian famine existed and the British occupation contributed to it, but attributing 10 million deaths to the UK is a maximalist and contested claim. The most conservative sources speak of around 2 million.

## What the post says
An X post claims that **the United Kingdom** invaded Iran during World War I, seized food and cut routes, causing a famine that killed more than **10 million** Iranians. Iran had declared neutrality. Conservative estimates speak of around **2 million** deaths. Other readings go up to 10 million, depending on which mortality is included.

## Occupation, drought and prices
The context is real. Between **1917 and 1919**, **Persia** —the name of Iran at the time— suffered a devastating famine. British and Russian troops operated on its territory despite the declared neutrality. The requisition of grain, road controls and the trade blockade worsened the shortage. Added to that were drought, poor harvests and a flu epidemic. The result was hunger and death in an impoverished country.

## Why the figure matters
Attributing a famine to a power requires distinguishing intent, negligence and the chaos of war. The post maintains that **the United Kingdom** did it on purpose. Historical evidence points to a mix of colonial decisions and climatic factors, not a single extermination order. Saying **10 million** without nuance turns a real tragedy into a headline that is hard to sustain. The war economy was a plunder of food, transport and currency.