When the building of the railway between the Nile and the Red Sea was begun, it was determined to create a port at this harbour - which was renamed Port Sudan (Bander es- Sudan).
On the capture of the island of Hormuz (Ormus) in 1622 by the English and Persians, a large portion of its trade was transferred to Bander Abbasi.
In 1852 the Persians expelled the Muscat authorities from Bander Abbasi and its district, but retired when Muscat agreed to pay an increased rent.
By a treaty concluded between Persia and Muscat in 1856 it was stipulated that Bander Abbasi town and district and the islands were to be considered Persian territory and leased to Muscat at an annual rent of 14,000 tomans (£6000).
The treaty was to have been in force for twenty years, but in 1866 the Persians took advantage of the assassination of Seyed Thuweni, the sultan of Muscat, to instal as governor of Bander Abbasi and district a nominee of their own who agreed to pay a rent of 20,000 tomans per annum.
