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Coll 28/67 ‘Persia. Annual Reports, 1932–’ [‎282v] (564/644)

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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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10
Iranian authorities,of all questions concerning relations between the latter and
the Allied forces. As the Persian Government's contention appeared reasonable,
His Majesty’s Legation communicated it to the Persia and Iraq Command, w ; ho
expressed the view that the same arrangements for the judicial immunities for
British troops should be made in Persia as in Iraq, so as to secure uniformity
throughout the command as far as possible. The command then submitted a draft
agreement on this basis, the text of which His Majesty’s Legation forwarded t^
the Foreign Office for instructions and to the United States Legation in Tehran
for comment (since co-ordination with the United States authorities on this
matter seemed desirable). That was the position at the end of the year.
40. In January the Soviet Ambassador in London complained that His
Majesty’s Government had made important changes in the disposition of British
troops in Persia without notifying the Soviet authorities. This, the ambassador
asserted, was a breach of an undertaking, given by Mr. Eden in letters dated the
21st October and the 21st November, 1941, that the Soviet authorities should be
consulted on such occasions. His Majesty’s Legation, commenting on
M. Maisky’s complaint, pointed out that they had always informed the Soviet
Military Attache in advance of all important moves of British forces in West
Persia. They had not informed him of military movements in South or East
Persia, but these had been confined to a few reconnaissances. The Soviet Embassy,
however, had never reciprocated with information about movements of Soviet
troops. Every facility had been given to Soviet authorities to visit the British
zone, but here, too, the Soviet authorities did not grant reciprocal facilities. In
April Mr. Eden wrote a letter to M. Maisky suggesting the following
procedure : —
The military attache to this legation should communicate to the Soviet
Military Attache in Tehran, on condition that the latter reciprocated,
advance information regarding minor changes in the disposition of British
troops in Persia which did not involve a substantial change in their total
number; on the other hand, major movements, involving a substantial change
in the total number should be communicated in advance through ^ the
diplomatic channel.
The Soviet Government accepted these proposals. The Soviet Embassy in
Tehran, however, have never given any information to His Majesty’s Legation
regarding changes in the numbers or dispositions of their troops although there
is reason to believe that such changes have taken place.
41. In the autumn the Persian Minister of Communications, while in
London, complained that His Majesty’s Government were not consulting the
Persian Government regarding the disposition of British troops in Persia,
notwithstanding His Majesty’s Government’s undertaking to do so in the Anglo-
Soviet-Persian Treaty of the 29th January, 1942. Elis Majesty’s Government
decided that, in view of the changed strategical situation within the Persian and
Iraq Command and of the representations made by the Persian Minister of
Communications, information regarding the location of British troops in Persia
should be forwarded to the Persian Government provided that the actual
designation of formations and units was not divulged.
Security Questions.
42. As in 1942 the rounding up of Germans and of Persian fifth columnists
continued to exercise the closet attention of the legation in view of their danger
to Allied security and interests in Persia, particularly on the vital lines of
communications carrying aid to Russia. During the summer, owing to the serious
deterioration in the general political situation and the dropping of German
parachutists in various parts of Persia, it was decided to make use of certain
information connected with the Axis plot of the previous year and to demand the
arrest by the Persian Government of a few dangerous Persians. The Soviet and
American Governments were kept fully informed of our intentions. It happened
that at that time the Deputy Naubakht had tabled an interpellation in the Majlis
attacking the Persian Government and the Allies. Therefore, as a first step, I
provided the Prime Minister with full evidence about Naubakht’s treasonable
activities to enable the Government to reply. I also asked for his parliamentary
immunity to be withdrawn to facilitate his arrest by the Persian authorities.
After interminable delays the Government failed to take any action and Naubakht
fled to the Qashgai country without proceeding with his interpellation. Seyyid
Abul Qasim Kashani, the anti-British mullah, went into hiding simultaneously.
It then soon became clear that, if the Axis-controlled organisations were to be

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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–’ [‎282v] (564/644), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3472A, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056661168.0x0000a5> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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