'F 80 File 82/34 I APOC Concession' [‎232r] (408/436)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOYERNMENT
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I * ^r: T. Y ■
PERSIA. January 17, 1933.
CONFIDENTIAL. ' " ^v(.}3
S ection 4.
[E 330/17/34]
M?*. Hoare to Sir John Simon.—{Received January 17, 1933.)
(No. 558.)
Sir, Tehran, December 31, 1932.
THE Persian press during the past three weeks has published a large
number of articles concerning the cancellation of the D'Arcy Concession and the
events subsequent thereto. Most of the articles are very long, and they are full
of repetitions. The similarity of the arguments used leaves little room for doubt
that the writers wrote under the direct inspiration and order of the Persian
Government. The articles may therefore be regarded as supplementing, to some
extent, the official Persian notes on the subject, and 1 have the honour to report
hereunder a summary of the most important editorials of the Iran, the Shafaq-i-
and the^ ji .u
2. On the 21st and 22nd December all Tehran newspapers published lengmy
comments on the speech by which Sir William Malkin brought the British case
before the Council of the League of Nations. The sum of 11 millions received
by Persia is contrasted with the enormous benefits received by His Majesty s
Government, in income tax and other ways, and by British companies. Ihe
statement that any arrangement early this year was ever agreed to by the Persian
Government is described as an absolute lie. The arguments concerning tne
invalidity of the D'Arcy Concession from the outset are repeated. No constitu
tional Government existed in 1901, and no confirmation by the Majlis nad ever
taken place. The dishonest methods of accounting of the Anglo-Persian Uil
Company and of its subsidiaries are set forth, together with Mr. Armitage-
Smith's exposure of them. It is denied that His Majesty s Government were
the first to appeal to the League. Persia really invoked the League s aid hist.
It was a great pity that the Persian Government, through no fault of their own
were not able to make the first speech and be the plaintiffs against the unwarranted
intrusion of the British Government. A long argument is developed concerning
the British Government's insistence on the Persian Government s acceptance ot
responsibility for losses suffered by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company the
suggestion being that this clearly means that Britain seeks an excuse for invadmg
the oil-fields and taking possession of them, after causing th ®
Company to trump up an allegation of damage suffered. The Sha f^~ S y^ 1
concludes one of its articles bv the statement that the conscience of the great
Persian people is clear in this matter. All Persians, with one accord, have
acclaimed the cancellation with joy and unanimtv , hence even if ^ ca ^
at Geneva the Persian position before the world is clear and histoiy will
vindicate us 'V.The same paper, in another article, asks what right the British
have to interfere in Persian internal affairs, when
condemn the uhfortunate Egyptian people, 15
capitulatory regime, not to mention the repression of the national aspirations
of the ^^Yarg^number of extracts from European papers are also published by
the Tehran papers The Ittild'dt publishes, with evident approval, an extract
from an artfcle in the New Statesman of the 3rd December saying
that^His Maiesty's Government are foolish to threaten force, and would be well
, - , •' i, frpsh asreement Prominence is also given to an article m
the circulated in the Soviet wireless) arguing that the Bntish
difficulties at present are due to the fact that they failed to support the Sheikh of
Mohamn^rah sufficiently. most ^ series of articles is t(>
• /■ ^IT/riouHssu^'of the Shaf between the 9th and the
aLdTelmber In all nine articles appeared, from the " pen of a well-informed
writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. "From the nature of the evidence used it is certain that the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. had
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