In 1901 the government of Persia (modern- day Iran) and the British entrepreneur William Knox D’Arcy signed an agreement known as the D’Arcy Concession. The D’Arcy Concession opened Persia’s oil resources for exploration and ultimate exploitation. While large oil-drilling operations already existed, primarily in Russia and the United States, the explorations started as a result of the D’Arcy Concession would open up the entire Middle East to exploitation of its oil resources. Eventually, Middle Eastern nations would take back control of their resources and use them to influence economic and political events.