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(3) International Instruments.
328. The International Convention for the Protection of Adult Women and
the Convention for Facilitating the International Circulation of Educational
Films, both dated the 11th October, 1933, were ratified by the Majlis on the ;
10th January, 1935, signed by the Shah on the 14th January, 1935, and registered'
at Geneva on the 13th April, 1935.
329. The international agreement concerning automobiles dated the
24th April, 1926, and ratified by the Majlis on the 24th December, 1934, was
signed by the Shah on the 1st January, 1935, entered at Geneva on the 18th April,
1935, and registered at Paris.
330. The conventions passed by the Universal Postal Union in Cairo on the
20th March, 1934, were sanctioned by a law of the Majlis dated the 10th April,
1935.
III.— Internal Affairs (Political).
(A) General.
331. The events of 1935 provide ample illustration of two of the main
principles in the Shah’s creed : {a) the modernisation or westernisation of the
country and (5) the ruthless crushing of all opposition to his will.
332. The evidences of westernisation are chiefly to be found in the com
mercial field, and these are dealt with in the economic section of this report. But
there must also be mentioned the suppression of the Pahlavi hat, which took place
in June, the abolition of all honorific titles, such as Mirza, Khan, Beg, Amir and
Seyyed, and of lengthy compliments and methods of address, which were regarded
as inconsistent with the methods of bustle demanded by the modern age, and the
beginnings of a movement to make women discard their veils. In his speech at
the opening of the Majlis in June the Shah spoke earnestly of “ our deficiencies
and the gravity of our needs,” called for increased efforts ” in our works and
activities,” and declared that “the whole population must link their hands
together for a concerted effort to reach the desired end." To illustrate his desire
that there should be more work and less circuses, he later ordained that his
birthday, which was formerly made the occasion for elaborate festivities, should
henceforth be celebrated at the same time as No Ruz, which falls a week later.
Westernisation, or perhaps better, Americanisation, faster and faster, was indeed
the order of the day.
333. In his ruthless suppression of carpers and critics the Shah had no
need, however, to follow a foreign example; indeed, the “ Fiihrer ” of Iran may
rather be regarded as the prototype of the Aryan Hitler. At any rate, he was at
work first. During the year under review the first to fall by the wayside were a
number of journalists and Deputies, who were understood to have expressed
criticism of the regime and in particular of the budget. A number of arrests were
made, but some of the culprits were allowed to leave the country, including
Dadgar, the president of the Majlis. Whether the disgrace of General Ayrom,
the Chief of Police, who left for Europe at the same time, was connected with the
above events, it was never possible to discover.
334. At the beginning of June came the demise of the Pahlavi hat, and a
month later the Meshed riots, for which the order prescribing European headgear
provided at any rate the occasion. The actual cause may rather be found in the
general discontent. The trouble started on the evening of the 10th July, the
anniversary of the occasion when the Shrine was bombarded by the Russians, when
a Shrine pensioner, named Sheikh Bahlul, preached an inflammatory sermon,
demanding the redress of grievances and the lightening of the burden of taxation.
The police were unable to disperse the crowd and on the following morning troops
entered the Shrine. A fracas resulted, during which the troops were ordered to
fire, but the General Officer Commanding, instead of completing the work of
clearing the Shrine, then seemed to lose his head and withdrew the troops without
even leaving pickets at the entrances. Vast crowds then poured into the Shrine
and it eventually only became possible to disperse them three days later at what