Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎144v] (288/807)

2
Major Prior has already served in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. as political agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ,
Bahrein, 1929-32.
the question of the necessity of a consul-general at Bushire may well be
brought up by the Iranian Government when Major Prior’s agrement is
presented. With this is bound up the question of the transfer of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
to Bahrein.
4. Iranian Officials.
(i) M. Ali Soheili (Military Attache’s Personalities No. 283, Foreign Office
Personalities No. 200), late Minister for Foreign Affairs, has been appointed
Ustandar (Governor-General) of Kerman to fill an existing vacancy.
(ii) M. Ali Ashgar Hikmat (Military Attache’s Personalities No. Ill,
Foreign Office Personalities No. 99), late Minister of Education, has been
appointed Ustandar (Governor-General) of Azerbaijan to fill an existing vacancy.
This is as yet unconfirmed.
(iii) M. Anushirwan Sipahbudi (Military Attache’s Personalities No. 282),
Iranian Minister in Paris, who had been recalled after the rupture of Franco-
Iranian diplomatic relations, arrived in Tehran during the period under review.
He is reported to be under open arrest and is confined to his house.
(iv) M. Ibrahim Alam (Foreign Office Personalities No. 195), Governor-
General of Fars since September 1937, has been appointed Minister of Posts and
Telegraphs vice M. Muhammad Hakimi.
5. The A nglo-Iranian Oil Company.
Reference Intelligence Summary No. 24 of 1938, paragraph 11.
(i) The scheme for the construction of the new Anglo-Iranian Oil Company’s
refinery on a site just north of Mashur in one of the inlets of the Khor Musa (see
map 1 to the military report on the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company’s (South Iranian)
Oilfields Area, 1936) is still under consideration in London. The estimated cost
is said to be nearly £30 million. Several stiff engineering problems are involved,
such as the construction of firm foundations for the refinery itself on ground
which is low lying and liable to flooding, the piping of sweet water from
reservoirs over 30 miles away and the deepening of channels for oil tankers to
berth alongside.
(ii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 26 of 1938, paragraph 12. The
company’s representatives are experiencing considerable difficulty in obtaining
the whole of the Iranian coastline in their concession area. It is anticipated that
this will have to be modified and other areas selected in lieu.
6. Broadcasting.
Reference Intelligence Summary No. 2 (current), paragraph 17. The
British company, Messrs. Standard Telephones and Cables, will erect the
following equipment at Bisim (Qasr-i-Kajar), on the Tehran-Shimran road,
during the next fourteen months :—
(a) Central equipment.
(5) One 20-kw. short-wave broadcasting, telephone and telegraph transmitter.
{c) One 2-kw. idem. This 2-kw. transmitter is also to be used as a second
bi oadcasting transmitter on medium waves, duplicating the equioment
ordered from Telefunken in January 1938.
(d) One 700-h.p. Brush Diesel, capable of supplying the total power required
at the transmitting centre.
(e) Eight-kw. loaded cable to connect transmitting centre to the central office
(/) Studio equipment.
(g) Privacy equipment to permit secret telephone communications with
Europe and the United States.
(h) Two mobile broadcasting transmitters.
(i) Two portable outside broadcast equipments.
(;) Recording equipment.
The total value of the above contract is £45,000.