Coll 28/39(2) ‘Persia. Printed Correspondence, 1937–’ [‎84r] (167/320)

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2. On the orders of Tehran, Khoda Karam Khan and his intimate fol
lowers to the number of about seventy were shot, photographs being taken
before and after the execution. The military plundered the outlaws’ camp
and No. 13 regiment arrived badk in Ahwaz laden with loot. It is stated that
various Bahmai prisoners in Ahwaz are to be settled at Ahu Dasht.
3. I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Secretary to the Govern
ment of India in the External Affairs Department.
( 39 )
Copy to India No. 66.
Letter from H. M.’s Minister, Tehran, to the Foreign Office,
London, No. 147, dated the 9th April 1938.
I have the honour to inform you that Colonel Pybus, late Military
Attache to this Legation, prior to his departure expressed the wish that I
should seek to obtain for him a parting interview with the Shah, an honour
that had been granted to some, possibly to all of his predecessors, including
Colonel Dodd whom Colonel Pybus relieved here.
2. Upon consulting precedent, I found that although there seemed some
doubt as to previous practice, Colonel Dodd had certainly been granted an
audience on departure, and that it appeared to be the custom also for the new
Military Attache to be presented to His Imperial Majesty. As on this occa
sion Colonel Underwood was to overlap with Colonel Pybus for several days,
I wrote to the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs a letter enquiring whether
the Shah would grant the customary interviews or on this occasion combine
them in one. I enclose a copy of my letter. At the same time I spoke to the
Head of the Protocol Department and asked his good offices in the submis
sion of my request to the Shah in the most appropriate manner.
3. Having received no reply two days previous to Colonel Pybus’ depar
ture, but having heard from the Protocol Department that the Ministry had
communicated with the Court, I called upon Monsieur Ansarie to ascertain
the position. After some telephoning, he went to see Monsieur Adi. On
return he told me that a copy of my letter had been sent to the Court under
cover of a letter from the Ministry which put to the Shah the question of the
principle of His Imperial Majesty receiving foreign Military Attaches per
sonally. An answer had now been received that the Shah did not feel that
he could extend to the incoming or outgoing British Military Attache, a pri
vilege that he did not give to the Military Attaches of other countries. The
privileged Military Attche at Tehran is now the Turk : it is a fact that neither
he nor the French Military Attache had the honour of an Audience with the
Shah on arrival.
4. Monsieur Ansarie suggested that the interviews given to Colonel Dodd
and to Colonel Pybus on his arrival were exceptional and should not be con
sidered as precedents. I told Monsieur Ansarie that my firm belief was
that these interviews had not been isolated cases but had been in accordance
with practice, and I expressed regret that a traditional and greatly valued
personal contact with His Imperial Majesty should now be broken. From
information derived from another source it seems doubtful whether my re
quest for interviews for Colonel Pybus and Colonel Underwood was actually
put before the Shah.
5. I am sending copies of this despatch to the Secretary to the Govern
ment of India in the External Affairs Department.
Letter from H. M.’s Minister, Tehran, to His Excellency Monsieur
Mustapha Adl, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tehran,
dated the 18th March 1938.
May I ask whether Your Excellency would be so very kind as to assist me
in the following matter ?