Coll 30/204 ‘Persian Gulf Oil. Future of oil in its relation to the Middle East – Admiralty Memorandum on –’ [‎9r] (17/66)

OUTWARD TELEGRAM
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s
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Cypher telegram to Sir R. Bullard (Tehran).
Foreign Office. 31st December, 1940. 4.00 p.m.
No. 331
Q.* 8 .. 8 .. cl« cl. cl. 8 .
. Your telegrajn No« 595A [of November 22nd:
m Iran]. —*
German agents
. no ^ clear what action has been taken as regards
arrival m Iran of these eight German officers, but, if you
have^not already done so, it might be well to approach tne
Iranian Government on the subjecto Iranian Government can
be asxced whether they are aware of the real reasons why these
German officers have recently established themselves in Iran.
It could be suggested to Iranian Government that it is not to
. be supposed, at this stage of the war, that these German
officers are occupying themselves entirely with civil work.
It is^reasonably certain that the object of their visit to
Iran is to advance the German Government's political or
military aims. Their activities are nresumably directed
against British interests in the Middle East, and Iranian
Government^must take into account the probability that any
action^ against British interests might also be action against
Iranian interests, Iranian Government could be informed of
report which has reached us (see Moscow telegram No. 965 [of
November^]) that there are certain "German officers dressed
as civilians" who have been given the task of conducting in
Iran all ^inds of subversive activities, particularly against
the oilfields. The Iranian Government will probably share
the.view that these German activities may well be directed
against the Anglo-Iranian oilfields. In any case, they
will.doubtless consider^ it advisable, in order to prevent
Iranian territory from being used for unneutral activities
of any kind, to take immediate action to force these German
agents to leave the country.
2. Any.such communication should probably be verbal, at
any rate until we can obtain more definite evidence, but it
might be.well to add a specific request that, as the safety
of the oilfields may be affected, which are of such vital
importance to Iran's prosperity, the matter may be brought to
the notice of the Shah,
Repeated to Bagdad No. 688, M.E.I.C. No. 111.