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Among the cadets to pass out was Ali Muhammad, the son of his Excellency
Ibrahim Qawam (Qawam-ul-Mulk) (Foreign Office Personalities, No. 160,
Military Attache’s Personalities, No. 171), who married Princess Ashraf Pahlavi,
the Crown Prince’s sister, in March 1937.
3. Iranian Officials.
(i) M. Abbas Faroughi has been appointed Director of the Protocol Depart
ment at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
(ii) Sartip (Brigadier) Mehdi Quli Tajbakhsh (Military Attache’s
Personalities, No. 214) has been appointed Acting Minister of Agriculture.
4. British Interests.
(i) Mrs. Seymour, wife of His Majesty’s Minister, arrived in Tehran on the
2nd October from England.
(ii) Major H. W. Farrell, Indian Medical Service, legation surgeon, Kabul,
accompanied by wife, arrived in Tehran on the 4th October. He is in transit from
Kabul to Europe.
(iii) For the first time after several years the British Military Attache was
invited to see a unit of the Iranian army. The unit selected was the 1st (Pahlavi)
Cavalry Regiment at Jamshedieh Barracks, Tehran.
(iv) Lieutenant P. G. B. McNalty, 2 nd Royal Lancers (Gardner’s Horse),
Indian army language student, passed through Tehran en route to Kerman.
5. Iranian Army.
(i) Seven hundred and forty-one cadets were “ passed out ” of the officers’
school and were granted commissions in the different branches of the Iranian
army.
(ii) The munition factory An East India Company trading post. at Saltanatabad, situated about 7 miles north of
Tehran (degree sheet 9 M, square B 1), has been completed. All the machinery
(which includes a modern electric foundry) for the manufacture of various types
of grenades and shells has been supplied by Messrs. Krupp of Germany.
The factory An East India Company trading post. , which is under expert German supervision, is expected to start
work within a few days.
6 . The Iranian Air Force.
During a firework display in Tehran on the 24th September (anniversary of
the Prophet Mahomet) an aeroplane of the Iranian air force, brilliantly
illuminated with the country’s national colours, flew over the city.
It is believed to be the first time that the Iranian air force have attempted
night flying.
7. Education.
Considerable and praiseworthy progress is being made in public instruction
for girls and illiterates. Night classes have now begun for the winter session, and
the press has been urging all who can to attend. They point out that people, such
as waiters, bath attendants and shop assistants, must attend these classes, as, if
they do not do so, the municipalities intend to withhold their trade licences.
An appeal is also being thrown on the screen in all the principal cinemas in
the capital.
8 . Communications.
Branch Lines. —(i) Qishlaq (Garmsar)-Semnan-Meshed. —The survey of this
line has been carried out as far as Shahrud (million sheet No. 15, square D 4).
(ii) Tehram-Tabriz-Turkish Frontier. —The Ministry of Roads and Com
munications is still engaged in discussions with Consortium Kampsax. It is,
however, expected that the construction of Lot 1, Tehran-Kerej, will begin this
month.
(iii) Qum-Anarak {million sheet No. 16, square B2)-Yezd. —A press report
states that this is to be begun immediately.
(iv) It is reliably reported that the Government Railway Department have
purchased six more Diesel motor rail passenger cars for use in the south.