Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎230v] (460/807)

9
( x ) Not printed.
2. The Imperial Family.
On the 20th March, Her Imperial Majesty the Queen, accompanied by
Princess Shah Dukht Shams Pahlavi, arrived at the Bagh-i-Delgusha in Shiraz,
former seat of the Qavam-ul-Mulk. For some weeks past electricians and plumbers
had been busy installing electric light, baths and modern conveniences into this
building in preparation for the Imperial guests.
The Shiraz ladies, including the Qavam-ul-Mulk’s sister, were waiting at the
main gate of the Bagh-i-Delgusha to welcome the Queen, but the Imperial cars
swept past the lot without the slightest notice or acknowledgment.
The Imperial visit was as usual nothing but a series of unkept appointments
and bad manners. On “ Non Ruz " (Iranian New Year’s Day), officers of the
Shiraz garrison and officials in full dress uniform were kept waiting for over
two hours at the tomb of Hafiz all to no purpose. The Queen’s visit to the Shiraz
museum also was six hours late.
On the journey to Shiraz the school children of Isfahan dressed in new
clothes, which their parents had had to provide, stood for hours in the streets and
were rewarded by seeing a closed car flash swiftly by.
The main roads, too, were closed to all traffic from the afternoon of the day
previous to the Royal passage.
Thus does the Pahlavi dynasty endear itself to the hearts of its loyal peoples.
On the 30th March Her Imperial Majesty the Queen and Princess Shah
Dukht returned to Isfahan, where they spent two days visiting some of the more
interesting and historic buildings, finally returning to Tehran on the 1st April.
3. Iranian Officials.
Haji Reza Rafi (Maqam-ul-Mulk) who is in effect the Court jester, is no
longer persona grata, and was dismissed from the Court on the 3rd April. In
this connexion, see Intelligence Summary No. 6 (current), paragraph 13.
4. I'he Iranian A rmy.
(i) In accordance with the Conscription Law. Conscription Committees
throughout the country commenced their formal examination of conscripts due to
be called up for training next year.
(ii) Negotiations for the purchase of forty-eight guns (75-mm. mountain),
Schneider or Bofors under licence, have begun with Messrs. Cockerill, of Belgium.
(iii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 6 (current), paragraph 4 (ii). It
is now considered that the locality Muganni is probably the Moghan Steppe
(million sheet No. 1 , square D 1 ), and not as indicated.
(iv) Since the signing of the Irano-Soviet Commercial Treaty and the
“ Nou Ruz '’ holidays, there has been a considerable slackening in military
activity and preparations.
(v) As no reserve supplies of boots exist in the country, a project is on foot
for the immediate construction of two army boot factories capable of producing
400,000 pairs of boots a year.
5. The Iranian Air Force. '
(i) Negotiations are reliably reported to be proceeding favourably in the
United States for purchase of twenty fighter aircraft.
(ii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 6 (current), paragraph 5 (ii).
Further information on certain landing grounds in the provinces is given as an
appendix^) to this summary.
6 . The Iranian Navy.
Five Italian specialists are still under contract with the Iranian naval forces
of the south based on Khorramshahr, viz., one wireless expert, three engineers
and one deep-sea diver.
7. French Interests^
2k.
M. Jerome Thdraud, novelist and academician, has recently been visiting
Tehran. He is connected with the Paris Soir.