Coll 28/90 ‘Persia. Visit of the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs to Afghanistan and India.’ [‎81r] (161/313)

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Employment of officers of the Por.& Pol.Dept.-
at Consular posts in Iran.
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His Majesty’s Minister raised this question and
suggested the desirability of all Consular posts in Persia
hitherto filled from India being taken oYer by the Foreign
Office and filled from H.M* s Consular Service. He explained
that although the objections raised in 1934 by the Iranian
Govt.hare not been persisted in and although all recent
requests for the acceptance of nominees from India hare
been acquiesced in f he did not consider that the difficulty
had been finally disposed of. Trouble was almost certain
to revive when the time came for changes of H.M’s Consuls
General at Meshed and Bushire. Bushire would Moreover be
complicated by considerations of maintaining the Political
Resident there,to which the Iranian Govt.had in the past
objected. The present system no doubt contriouted to the
difficulties experienced by our Consular Officers in dis
charging their duties and,though H.M f s.Minister was far
from wishing to suggest that a change should be made merely
for the sake of pleasing the Iranian Govt.,he felt that a
change was desirable and he knew that the Foreign Office
were strongly in favour of it. He made the personal sugges
tion, subject to reference in due course to the Foreign
Office that the best so&ution would be for the posts all to
be filled from the Consular Service but for the posts
concerned to have,where necessary in some subordinate &&<$£
capacity,an officer from the F.& P.Dept. equipped with the
expert knowledge of the Indian side of the work which was
absolutely necessary at these posts. H.E.the Viceroy
expressed himself in favour of this solution as it would
relieve the Govt.of India of the expense of their present
contribution to the maintenance of these posts. H.E. had
also suggested that the question of filling subordinate
posts from the F.& P.Dept. and of any necessary financial
or other readjustments might with advantage be examined oy
a Committee.
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