Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎216v] (432/807)

class). Delivery to be as soon as possible and, in any case, the last coach is
to be delivered in Iran within ten months. Shipments are to be made from
Trieste. The contract price is stated to be 5,500,000 rials (£82,089 at 67 rials
to £1).
(iii) The contract for the supply of twenty-seven locomotives is still
undecided. German, Swiss and Belgian firms have submitted tenders. A tender
from Messrs. Bayer Peacock, of Manchester, is, however', eagerly awaited. ■
(iv) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 1 (current), paragraph 5. 1 he
Tehran-Kerej section of the Tehran-Tabriz main line of the Frans-Iranian
Railway is now open to traffic. It is 44 kilom. in length. Two hundred bridges
had to be constructed on this section, the most important being the bridge at Kan
and also one which spans the Kerej River, which is 180 metres long and has seven
arches, each of 20 metres. The scheduled time for the journey from Tehran to
Kerej is one hour.
7. French Interests.
(i) The French Military Attache, le Commandant Alessandri, left Tehran
by car for Kabul on the 14th January, travelling via Meshed and Zahidan.
(ii) The new French Minister, his Excellency M. Jean Helleu. paid an official
call on the Soviet Ambassador on the 20th January. To make the conversation
as little inflammatory as possible, the French Minister talked about domestic
troubles and, in particular, about the difficulty of keeping the French Legation
warm. He said he proposed to have central heating installed and hoped that tho
work would be completed before next winter. At this the Soviet Ambassador
smiled and said in Russian, which the French Minister understands: “Let’s
wait and see.’' M. Helleu is confident that the smile was more sly than a mere
dig at Persian procrastination would have warranted.
8. Italian Interests.
(i) The Italian Naval and Air Attache, Capitano di Fregata Mola, returned
to Tehran from Rome on the 23rd January. In Rome Commander Mola was
received by Signor Mussolini and discussed the sale of Italian aircraft to Iran.
II Duce is apparently willing to sell aircraft to Iran for her defence against
Russia provided suitable cash payments can be arranged. Negotiations are still
proceeding. The Italian Naval Attache admits that the Shah is not enthusiastic
about the proposed deal.
(ii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 1 (current), paragraph 12 (ii).
Negotiations between representatives of the Ala Littoria Airlines and the
Iranian Government are reported to be progressing favourably. A three-times
weekly service may well commence in the late spring.
(iii) Lloyd Trestino representatives are negotiating with the Ministry of
Finance on the question of the transport of all Iranian merchandise from Trieste
to Gulf ports. The Italian shipping company, however, want a Government
guarantee that their ships will not return empty.
9. German Interests.
(i) Dr. Smend, the German Minister, accompanied by his wife and son, left
Tehran finally for Germany on the 24th January.
(ii) The staff of the German Legation is to be considerably increased. The
new minister, when he arrives, will have a counsellor, two secretaries, consul,
vice-consul, military attache, press attache, a “ Kulturwart,” an “ Ortsgruppen-
leiter, several new clerks and lady stenographer-typists from Germany.
(iii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 1 (current), paragraph 10 (i).
Major von Geldern Crespandorf has been appointed military attache in Tehran
vice Colonel Rohde, relieved.
(iv) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 25 (1939), paragraph 4 (i). Large
quantities of parcels containing coffee, tea, soap, shoes, &c., still continue to be
despatched by parcels post from Tehran to Germany via Russia, not only by
private individuals, but also by the German Legation.
10. Indian-Iranian Commercial Relations.
• If the anticipated expansion of trade between India and Iran justifies the
expense, negotiations may take place with a view to the reconditioning of the
Nok Kundi-Mirjawa section of the Nok Kundi-Zahidan Railway. A motor
road may also be constructed between Nok Kundi and Mir j awa.