Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎139r] (277/807)

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countryside to the cities where, owing to housing shortage, landl ^rc
reaping a rich harvest by increasing rents annually. The Bill, wKicti has now'
been passed into law, fixes rents for the next three years at the rent figure charged
in Mehr 1315 (September-October 1936). Penalties include from three to twelve
<^*months correctional imprisonment and fines varying from 5 to 50,000 rials.
I he general concensus of opinion appears to be that rents were already
on the downward trend owing to the recent large building construction and
that landlords have themselves backed this law so as to keep rents up at a peak
period when there really was a housing shortage. In any case, it is thought
that the landlords will manage to find a means of circumventing this law.
Another important law is the proposed establishment of an office for the
“ Enlightment of Public Opinion.” Briefly it is intended to set up a general
council in the capital for this purpose. This will be composed of representatives
from the university, schools, adult educational authorities, boy scouts and girl
guides officials and the press bureau, &c. Public opinion will be moulded by
means of the press, school books, books of general interest, public meetings,
theatres, cinemas, radio broadcasts, concerts and patriotic songs. Sub-committees
responsible for the vigorous organisation and preparation of each of the above
subjects are to be formed and will commence drawing up programmes.
It is mentioned in the Act that when the Tehran Broadcasting Station is
opened this year loud speakers will be erected in all important towns and villages
throughout the country.
The members of the general council and sub-committees have already been
nominated, and the first meeting has taken place.
7. Treaties and A greements.
(i) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 11 of 1938, paragraph 12. Treaties
of Friendship between Iran, the x\rgentine and Mexico respectively have been
ratified.
(ii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 6 of 1938, paragraph 3. The
Clearing Agreement between Iran and Switzerland has been cancelled.
(iii) Iran has become a signatory to the International Convention on
Submarine Warfare, dated the 6th November, 1936.
8. The Use of Latin Script.
Continuing the energetic campaign for the complete suppression of all Latin i
script, the Ministry of Education have circulated all schools and colleges
forbidding the use of Latin script in algebra and physics. All letters or figures \
must be written in Persian. The circular goes on to say that all formulas used
in chemistry written in Greek or Latin script will also gradually be replaced by
Persian signs, &c., which will be communicated later.
In this connexion it may be mentioned that the British personnel employed ]
at the aircraft factory An East India Company trading post. are now experiencing considerable difficulty in finding any
of the 20,000 spare parts required for the construction of “ Audax ” aircraft as
the British wording and figures has recently been deleted from the index cards.
Works orders also are now solely written in Persian. It is known that His' 1
Imperial Majesty the Shah is the main instigator of this campaign.
9. Adult Education.
According to a press report, the number of persons attending adult education
courses is 124,233. These classes are normally held in the evenings and are steadily
growing in popularity. Amongst those attending are peasants, masons, labourers,
bath attendants, butchers, chauffeurs, waiters, &c.
10. Communications.
(i) Railways .—-Reference Intelligence Summary No. 26 of 1938, para
graph 9 (ii). Messrs. Consortium Kampsax have not succeeded in arranging a
new contract for further railway construction. There is a well-founded rumour I
now that the Iranian Government may themselves undertake construction assisted
by Czechoslovakian engineers, whose services can be obtained cheaply.
(ii) An interesting report states that one of the reasons for M. Ahi’s (late
Minister of Roads and Communications) dismissal was his strong insistence on
the new Tabriz-Tehran line being of the same gauge as the Tabriz-Julfa line in