Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎73r] (145/320)

29
epoch when, having discovered their ideal, they have found a brave and
puissant leader who fosters, by the loftiness of his own mind and inspiration,
the sentiments and the qualities which are shared by the whole nation.
At the present time the Sacred Ruler of Iran is indeed the manifesta
tion, in the full sense of the word, of the thoughts, the ambitions, and the
glories of the people ; accordingly any disparagement or belittlement of
Him amounts to a scourging of the sensory nerve of the people, especially
at a time when sovereignty is embodied in the person of this great man whom
the country honours as pioneer, guide, leader, and life-giving chief, as a
living monument of the splendours and glories of its past, the representative
of twenty-five centuries of its history.
Since the entry of these rubbish publications is free and since these
nonsensical documents, every line of which shows resentment, rancour and
spite against the sacred spirit and the sovereignty of this nation, instead
of discussing matters impartially, take advantage of every opportunity
to make the sacred person of the king the target of their poisoned shafts,
we do not consider it unlikely that the people will take unexpected action
and, taking no thought for the safety of their own lives will, to defend their
honour, resort to measures that might be regretted.
The thing which particularly increases our anxiety is the evil record
and the bitter, unpleasant impression which English policy has always left
in this part of the world. We have not forgotten the injuries which English
policy has repeatedly inflicted on this country during the last two centuries,
nor the evil purposes, the selfish ambitions, and the covetousness of that
Government, nor the dij lo nacy intended to weaken Iran, which it employed
in this country in order that there should exist in the East of Asia an im
potent, poor and needy Iran; nor have we forgotten the treaty of 1907,
the aims of 1919 or a hundred other little incidents which are to be found
in the history of Anglo-Iranian relations. The whole of this unsavoury
record provides a very suitable reason why people should regard these perni
cious compositions as poisonous attacks, dictated by self-interest and hostile
to their honour and consider them to be the expression of unfriendly policy
and to be an attack, the fruit of evil intentions, on the honour and progress
of the Iranian nation.
We do not think it necessary at the moment to pursue this matter furthr
and shall wait until the newspapers and publications-in question reach Iran.
Then we shall enter into the discussion in a comprehensive and detailed
manner and refute all their nonsense.
MINUTE SHEET.
POURQUOI LA PRESSE ANGLAISE REPAND DU VENIN ?
Tout derni&rement le journal ETTELA’AT a public un article intitule
“ La presse anglaise seme du venin ” Get article etait tr&s int6ressant et nous
consid^rons comme “ notre devoir de donner aussi notre point de vue sur
cette question. ”
*
* *
Avez-vous remarque que certaines publications de la presse 6trang&re
concernant notre pays sont parfois tellement tendancieuses, mensong&res,
am&res et frappantes qu’elle font Feffet d’un venin sur notre mentalit4 et nos
conceptions.
Ces publications mesquines, d’un esprit bas meritent tout de meme qu’on
y prdte une certaine attention, ne futce que pour mettre les choses au point.
II faut dire tout d’abord que ces publications sont un tissu de menson-
ges, empreintes d’un esprit tendancieux et d’intrigues et qu’elles ont leur
source dans des milieux degeneres. On n’y trouve aucune delicatesse, aucune
politesse, ni aucun respect a ces principes du journalisme, de la presse dont le
devoir de conscience est de propager la v4rite.
17 (S) ead.