Coll 28/9 ‘Persia; Internal affairs; Shah’s tours in Persia: general situation reports’ [‎138r] (286/1038)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
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April 27, 1936.
CONFIDENTIAL.
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Section 3.
[E 2298 405 34 Copy No.
Mr. Butler to Mr. Eden.—(Received April 27.)
(No. 156.)
Sir, ^ Tehran, April 1 , 1936.
IN my despatch No. 115 of the 5th March, I reported on the steps taken to
meet the inconvenience which the wives of British Indian subjects were
encountering at Meshed in connexion with the unveiling campaign. I now have
the honour to enclose a copy of a despatch from His Majesty’s consul at Ahwaz
reporting similar difficulties at Khorramshahr, and a copy of a circular despatch
which it has seemed desirable to send to His Majesty’s consular officers in this
country.
2. It will be seen from this circular that the revolutionary alteration in the
domestic, religious and social ways of the Persian people involved in the abolition
of the chaddar has been enforced, and enforced rapidly and drastically, without
any law or even any police regulation being passed or laid down.
3. Another aspect of this tacit procedure presented itself when Indian
pilgrims to Meshed, on reaching the barren and inhospitable frontier station of
Mirjawa and applying for visas there, were informed that no visas would be given
for two months, i.e., until Moharram was over. Repeated enquiries here tardily
confirmed the Government of India’s belief that the reason for the prohibition
was anxiety as to the effect of veiled Indian women in unveiled Meshed during
Moharram, but these enquiries have entirely failed to find a regulation or even a
Department ready to acknowledge responsibility for the issue of the order.
4. The fanciful picture drawn by the chief of police of the members of his
force, in the heyday of a dictatorial regime, spontaneously encouraging old ladies
to seize greater freedom might be contemplated with poignant feelings by
ex-members of our own police force, who, under a Liberal Administration, were
permitted no such generous exuberance towards the suffragettes. There has, of
course, been much hardship, and often great severity and cruelty, in the campaign,
and also much roughness on the part of the police. It is, however, the case that
few, if any, instances of physical brutality have been reported to me from the
provinces or in Tehran, whereas there have certainly been occasions when the
native wit of the molested lady has turned the laugh against the policeman.
5 . Views will vary as to the wisdom of the campaign and its ulterior
consequences, but it already seems clear that the Shah’s victory is assured. At
an athletic match last week Mrs. Jordan, who has been for thirty years at the
American College here, told me that, in looking at the spectators, she thought
she was in America, the interpretation being the numbers of girls, mixed with
young men, in European dress. Only from Kermanshah are there reports of any
effective passive resistance, and it may well be that it will not seem necessary to
report further to you on the physical progress of the unveiling campaign.
6 . I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Foreign Secretary to the
Government of India.
I have, &c.
NEVILE BUTLER.
Enclosure 1.
Consul Watkinson to Mr. Butler.
(No. 15.)
Sir, Ahwaz, March 3, 1936.
’ WITH reference to the reports in my last few monthly political diaries
regarding the introduction of new dress regulations for women, I have the honour
to report that a petition has been received by His Majesty’s vice-consul at
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