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Coll 28/67 ‘Persia. Annual Reports, 1932–’ [‎48r] (95/644)

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The record is made up of 1 file (320 folios). It was created in 6 Dec 1933-27 Mar 1947. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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93
1 I f
,
-T-"
X.— Military Affairs.
(A) Army.
General.
539. The Shah continues to interest himself in every detail of army
^ministration. During His Majesty’s periodical tours throughout the length
Wd breadth of Persia, the army is his chief concern. In consequence, the moral
of the army is high. Training continues to improve and become more practical.
Amongst the troops of the Central Garrison this reaches a much higher standard
than in the provinces, but throughout the army training for war is carried out
on a system, and in a manner which could scarcely have been hoped for four or
five years ago. The cavalry and infantry are well equipped, but the artillery
remains obsolete and out of date. The construction of new barracks is being
undertaken on a large scale in Tehran and the provinces. An even stronger order
than that of 1931 was issued forbidding all ranks of the army from having
intercourse or social dealings with any type of foreigner.
Organisation.
540. The Order of Battle of the Persian army has not altered noticeably,
the only change of any importance being that the Asterabad Brigade has been
abolished and the command reorganised into two units, the Asterabad
Independent Regiment and the Turcoman Sahra Independent Regiment, the
latter with headquarters at Gumbad-i-Kabus.
541. A new establishment, under the name of the Inspectorate-General of
the Army, was formed at the Ministry of War. It is nominally subordinate to
the Chief of Staff, and treated as a branch of the General Staff rather than a
separate organisation. Amir Lashkar Amanulla Mirza, Jehanbani, on his
return from a two years’ staff course in Paris, was appointed as the first
Inspector-General, assisted by eight inspectors, as follows : Artillery, cavalry,
aviation, armament and equipment, supply and transport, musketry and medical
services.
Estimates.
542. The budget allotment for the Ministry of War for the year 1932-33
was 181,689,980 rials. This amount was not sub-divided for the various services,
but 160,179,980 rials are shown as a total for the upkeep of the Army, Air Force,
arsenals, the travelling and study expenses of service students, and expenses
connected with naval and military advisers. The sum of 21,500,000 rials was
apportioned to the upkeep of the Amnieh (road guards or gendarmerie). In
previous years the allotment for this latter force has been included in the budget
of the Ministry of the Interior. The allotment for the Persian navy was not
shown under the budget heading of the Ministry of War, but included in that of
the Ministry of Finance, and details were not made available to show the exact
sum allotted for this purpose. For the above reasons a comparison with last year’s
figures is somewhat difficult, but approximately the total grants are the same,
some 48 per cent, of the estimated national revenue.
543. On the 17th March the Majlis passed a Bill allowing a special grant
of £1,500,000 from the Government reserves abroad to the Ministry of War for
“completing the equipment of the army with modern material.” The second part
of this same Bill stated that the 6 million tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. allotted for the same purpose
in 1929-30 should be considered as the equivalent of £1,200,000.
(B) Navy.
544. In 1932 the long expected naval force came into being and arrived in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. in October. It consists of six vessels, built in Italy, as follows :—
(a) Two gunboats: Babr and Paldng of 950 tons displacement; {b) four
patrol vessels : Karkas, Simorgh, Chabaaz and Sharock of 330 tons displacement.
These ships left Italy in September and were inspected by the Shah on their
arrival at Bushire in October. His Majesty travelled in one of these ships,
escorted by the remainder, from Bushire to Bander Shahpui. 4 he force is undei
the nominal command of Major Ghulam Ali Khan, Bayondar.

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Content

Annual reports for Persia [Iran] produced by staff at the British Legation in Tehran. The reports were sent to the Foreign Office by HM’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. at Tehran (from 1943, Ambassador to Iran). The reports cover the following years: 1932 (ff 2-50); 1933 (ff 51-98); 1934 (ff 99-128); 1935 (ff 129-165); 1936 (ff 166-195); 1937 (ff 196-227); 1938 (ff 228-249); 1939 (ff 250-251); 1940 (ff 252-257); 1941 (ff 258-266); 1942 (ff 267-277); 1943 (ff 278-289); 1944 (ff 290-306); 1945 (ff 307-317); 1946 (ff 318-320).

The reports for 1932 to 1938 are comprehensive in nature (each containing their own table of contents), and cover: an introductory statement on affairs in Persia, with a focus on the Shah’s programme of modernisation across the country; an overview of foreign relations between Persia and other nations, including with the United Kingdom, British India, and Iraq; Persia’s involvement in international conventions and agreements, for example the League of Nations and the Slave Traffic Convention; British interests in or associated with Persia, including Bahrain and Bahrainis resident in Persia, the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. at Bushire, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Imperial Bank of Persia, and the Imperial and International Communications Company; political affairs in Persia, including court and officials, majlis, tribes and security; economic affairs in Persia (government finances and budgets, trade, industry, agriculture, opium production); communications (aviation, railways, roads); consular matters; military matters (army, navy, air force).

Reports from 1939 to 1946 are briefer in nature, Reports from 1941 onwards focusing on the Anglo-Soviet occupation of Persia, and the role of United States advisors in the Persian Government’s administration.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (320 folios)
Arrangement

The file’s reports are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the file. Each report for the years 1932-1938 begins with a table of contents referring to that report’s own printed pagination sequence.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 321; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

The file contains one foliation anomaly, f 308A

Pagination: Each of the reports included in the file has its own printed pagination system, commencing at 1 on the first page of the report.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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Coll 28/67 ‘Persia. Annual Reports, 1932–’ [‎48r] (95/644), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3472A, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056661166.0x000060> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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