'Persia. No 1 (1909). Correspondence respecting the affairs of Persia, December 1906 to November 1908' [‎84r] (151/236)

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JSo. 144.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received June 26.)
(Telegraphic.) ^ Tehran, June,26, 1908.
PRESIDED 1 of Assembly, who was not captured, together with another Deputy, '
is in “ bast at French Legation. I have admitted no more refugees to His Majesty’s
Legation. At the Italian Legation the Minister of Finance is in “ bast,” together with
his family.
beyjid Abdullan and Seyyid Mahomed, the two Chief Mujteheds, are to be
deported, but it is not known to what place. Though the town is quiet, general
apprehension prevails, and the troops are prosecuting their search for arms and
bombs. There are now, it is said, sixty-four prisoners at the Shah’s camp. Fighting
continues at fabreez, but the provinces as a whole remain quiet.
Colonel Liakhofi has been made Governor of Tehran, and appears to possess very
full powers indeed.
A Proclamation stating that the present Assembly is dissolved has been issued by
the Shah. Proclamation announces that new elections will be held in three months,
and a Senate will be formed.
Ho. 145.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received June 26.)
(Telegraphic.) ’ ' Tehran, June 26, 1908.
THE Zil-es-Sultan has applied to me for assistance and protection.
His Imperial Highness, after invoking his recent good service at Shiraz and his
long friendship with His Majesty’s Legation, begs that I will take steps to insure him
in enjoyment of his property and to. obtain security for his numerous family and
dependents. He is willing to retire to Ispahan or go to Europe, or would remain on at
Shiraz if he is supplied with money for purposes of government.
No. 146.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey .—{Received June 27.)
(Telegraphic.) . . Tehran, June 27, 1908.
y YOUR telegram of the 25th instant.
This afternoon the Minister for Foreign Affairs came to see me and brought a
message from the Shah. His Majesty is ready to grant to all persons in the Legation
a full amnesty. He does not wish to try aiiy of them, and though he would be glad if
some of them left the country, he will not make it a condition that any of them should
do so. In reply, I stipulated that amnesty would require the Shah’s signature, and his
Excellency, who was very emphatic that pledge would be strictly observed, undertook
to furnish it. I added that if unconditional amnesty were granted, I could not
undertake responsibility for any of the refugees leaving the country.
The proposal of the Minister for Foreign Affairs appearing to me to fulbl the
conditions laid down by you, I agreed to write a note to his Excellency, putting on
record the substance of our conversation, and promised to submit his reply to you if it
was satisfactory. — - -
Two Proclamations of general amnesty had, so his Highness stated, been issued by
the Shah, but, on the other hand, martial law has been proclaimed in all the towns of
Persia. Under it every kind of public meeting is prohibited, under pain of dispersal by
force and musketry; the carrying of arms is prohibited, while soldiers are authorized to
use their arms to meet any disrespect shown to them.
At the time of my conversation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs I had
not seen this Proclamation, and I am now informing him that it is not improbable
that it may affect the views of His Majesty’s Government in regard to the “ bastis,”
in view of the fact that it obviously affords the easiest of pretexts for violating the
amnesty.
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