Coll 29/73 'Ahwaz: grant of compensation to the Shaikh of Mohammerah on account of money he advanced towards the building of a consulate at Ahwaz' [‎44r] (89/331)

Minute Paper.
P.Z.1466/35.
politi cal Department*
Please see the previous minutes at P.Z.7282/34
and 4512/34 and the Foreign Office letter of 2nd March
below enclosing a copy of a despatch of 11th January
from H.M.Minister at Tehran, and a draft of the
instructions which the Foreign Office propose to send
to Mr.Knatchbull-Hugessen in reply.
It will be remembered that it was proposed by the
Treasury and the Government of India that, as a condition
of refunding to the Sheikh of Mohammerah the Rs.50,000
advanced by him in 1924 towards the building of a
Consulate at Ahwaz, the Sheikh should waive all further
claims in respect of the Consular site, the foundations
of the unfinished Consulate and the unused building
materials. From Mr.Knatchbull-Hugessen 1 s despatch of
11th January it will be seen that while the Sheikh is
prepared to give a receipt in full settlement of the
advance made by him and of any interest which he had in
the building, he says that he cannot waive his claim to
the actual site which he still regards as his property.
The Sheikh has taken up this attitude in spite of the
fact that he halt previously admitted that his title to
the site was not valid and that he is not prepared to
contest an application filed by the heirs of the Muin-ut-
Tujjar for the registration of the land as t heir property.
It appears that the Sheikh is afraid that by abandoning
his claim to this site he may prejudice his claim to a
number of other properties. The Foreign Office still
hope to be able to buy the land and build a new Consulate
on it as soon as they are able to obtain a proper title
to it under Persian law, and they therefore wish to guard
against the perhaps somewhat remote contingency of the
Sheikh subsequently being able to establish a title to
2956
6000 7 34
the/