Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎77r] (153/320)

At present only three frontier Customs posts are authorised to inspect
and admit seeds etcetera into the country : these are Khorram-
shahr, Khosrovi and Pahlevi. Seeds imported through other
customs posts must be sent to the nearest office of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, which may be at some distance. Thus
seeds imported at Bushire must be sent up to Shiraz for examina
tion.
{c) Dangerous Drugs. —For the import of certain drugs classified as
dangerous, a licence from the Police authorities is required, in
addition to an ordinary import licence.
This regulation does not apply, however, to proprietary brands of
medicine in made-up form, for which an ordinary import
• licence only is required. As these are all that is normally
required for private supplies of medicine, no undue difficulty
should be encountered.
(d) Wireless sets .—Permission to import wireless transmitting sets
cannot be obtained. For wireless receiving sets the ordinary
import licence must be obtained. In addition the sets must
be inspected in the customs by officials of the Ministry of Posts
and Telegraphs, who satisfy themselves that they are not trans
mitting sets. At present this inspection can only be carried
out at the Customs Houses at Tehran, Tabriz and Kermanshah.
But it has been found possible to arrange for the importation
of sets through other Customs Houses by sending to the Ministry
of Posts and Telegraphs full specifications of the set. The
Ministry then certify that it is only a receiving set. For sets
which are to be imported through Customs Houses other than
those named above, consular officers should send to the Lega
tion, with the ’application for an import permit, a copy of the
makers’ catalogue or leaflet describing the set with specifica
tions, and a copy of the invoice.
A permit from the police is required for the installation of a set, but in
practice it has not been found necessary to obtain installation
permits for sets used inside Consulate premises.
3. Monopoly Taxes .—The import, manufacture and sale of tobacco, tea
and sugar are the monopoly of the Iranian Government.
For the import of tobacco, cigars, cigarettes etcetera, in addition to an
ordinary import licence, a permit from the Tobacco Monopoly in Tehran is
required. Application for this should be made on a special form, copies of
which may be obtained from the provincial customs authorities, or from the
Legation. Before the tobacco may be cleared from the customs, a monopoly
tax of 200 per cent, ad valorem must be paid.
Monopoly taxes are also payable on imported tea and sugar, but no
special licence is required to import them (see below under Franchise).
4. Franchise .—On first appointment to a post in Iran, whether in a
substantive or acting capacity, a consular officer has nine months’ customs
franchise, dating from the day of his arrival in the country. This conqwises
exemption from customs dues only, and not from the necessity of obtaining
import licences nor, at present, from the payment of monopoly taxes. The
latter point is, however, being contested and it is possible that some modifica
tion of this regulation may be obtained.
On his arrival at the frontier, a newly-appointed consular officer may
bring in free of duty and without import licences, such personal effects as be
has with him. A fairly wide interpretation of the expression ‘ personal effects ’
is permissible, and it may be taken to include, for instance, a moderate supply
of tobacco.
5. Unrestricted Articles. —Newspapers, magazines and books packed with
open ends normally come through unrestricted. No import licences are
required for them.
Articles sent by letter post are often delivered without customs formali
ties, but it is impossible to be certain of this.
i7(S) ead