Coll 17/15(1) 'Perso-Iraq Relations: Persia-Iraq frontier; Persia's claim in the Shatt-el-Arab' [‎230r] (470/961)

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-Persian Legation to Iraqi Ministry for Foreign Affairs, So. 3878, of November
[Translation.]
“ The Imperial Persian Legation has the honour to refer to the Ministry’s note
No. 5434, of November 2nd, 1931, relating to the water that flows to Zurbativa
Although the surplus waters of the Gunjan Cham are, as the Legation has previously
informed the Ministry, flowing to Zurbatiya according to ancient custom and the
inhabitants of Pusht-i-kuh have not cut off the water at all up to the present time
and although the complaints of the inhabitants of Zurbatiya are baseless the Imperial
Government have nevertheless issued the necessary instructions to the Government
of Pusht-i-kuh to give all possible assistance in this regard in order to improve the
condition of the inhabitants and to silence their complaints. The Legation has to
add that the Imperial Government of Persia, since they do not recognise the
Delimitation Agreement, do not desire at present to enter into any correspondence
regarding it, pending the settlement of the basic question between the two Governments
in the future. The Imperial Legation avails, etc.”
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“ Persian Legation to Iraqi Ministry for Foreign Affairs, No. 3276, of December
2nd, 1931.
“ The Imperial Legation in Baghdad has the honour to refer to the note of the
Iraqi Ministry for Foreign Affairs No. 4790, dated October 5th, 1931, and to state that,
as it has reminded the authorities of the Iraqi Government on numerous occasions,
the Boundary Delimitation Agreement of 1914, concluded between the Imperial
Persian Government and the former Ottoman Government, was from the first
objected to by the Imperial Government, as it did not solve the differences connected
with the boundary existing between Persia and Iraq in accordance with the interests
of Persia. The Imperial Government cannot tolerate the damage which it sustained
on account of the said Agreement. Therefore, the Imperial Persian Government
does not consider at any time the said Agreement as official, and maintains its former
objections until such time as this matter is discussed between the two Governments
and the said differences are removed. The Legation avails, etc.”
“ Iraqi Ministry for Foreign Affairs, No. 6346, of December 16th, 1931, to Persian
Legation.
“ The Ministry for Foreign Affairs present their compliments to the Imperial
Persian Legation in Baghdad and have the honour to refer to its letter No. 3276,
dated December 2nd, 1931, and to inform it that the Iraqi Government cannot admit
the objection of the Minister of the Imperial Persian Government and that they
have issued orders to their Minister in Teheran to ask for detailed explanations from
the Central Persian Government.”
The trouble over the waters of the Gunjan Cham was repeated in 1932, 1933, 1934.
, The Iraqi Government continued to complain of the diversion of the water, involving
even a shortage of drinking-water at Zurbatiya, and to press for the formation ot a
committee to decide the manner of division. The Persian Government replied to all
complaints with the statement that Zurbatiya was receiving all the water to which was
entitled — namely, the surplus after the Persian cultivators had drawn oil eir
requirements — and put forward counter-complaints to the effect that the people of Zur batiya
were interfering with Persian canals. Feeling in this sector was further exacerba e y
the establishment of the Persian post at Kani Sukht referred to above.