Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎269r] (537/807)

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At the special fetes arranged in the Brown House, a collection is always
taken up for the Winter Help Fund. This is in addition to the 10 per cent, of
salary which all Germans are ordered to pay. Members of the Nazi party wear
the party uniform when attending such functions.
(iv) On the 6th November German business men were summoned to the
legation and were given orders to deal no more in dollars and to endeavour to
stop any movement of currency to the United States as the blocking of all German
and occupied territories credits in the United States was anticipated.
(v) The broadcast in German from London at 11-30 p.m. Tehran time
(20-00 hours G.M.T.) on Saturday evenings is most popular with Germans of all
classes who are not at heart members of the Nazi party. The imitation of a
harangue by the Fiihrer is especially appreciated.
(yi) As a result of recent deliveries, and of the expected arrival of the heavy
machinery, &c., for the Kerej Blast Furnaces, the German debt of 40 million
reichsmarks to Iran is regarded as having been almost completely wiped out
The freight, however, on the heavy machinery, is enormous, and it has vet to be
proved whether the heavier pieces can be transported at all via Russia and the
Caspian.
(yii) Messrs. Siemens’ representative in Tehran has stated that no more
electrical material can be sent to Iran by his firm, and it is believed that this is
a result of the bombing of the Siemens Factories by the R.A.F.
(viii) Sarlashgar Ahmed Muini has been joined in Germany by two more
oflicers. It is reported that they are engaged in purchasing war material, more
especially anti-aircraft artillery, aircraft and munitions.
10. United States Interests.
The first instalment of the payment for the American schools recently
transferred to the Iranian authorities was not made on the due date. The United
States Charge d’Affaires pounced heavily on a hint that the cause of the delay
was the refusal of the British Government to provide the Iranian Government
with dollars.
11. Czech Interests.
The community is not united. While some of the Czechs are in touch with
His Majesty s Legation, some continue to apply to the Irench. Some were unwise
enough to ask the French Legation to send their passports to Beirut for renewal,
and a group of Czechs have asked the French Military Attache to remit to the
Czech Provisional Government in England a sum of monev which they have
collected.
12. Netherlands Interests.
A Yugoslav steamer, the Timok, brought to Bandar Shahpur a caro-o of
sugar from the Netherlands Last Indies which had been bound for the
Mediterranean when Italy entered the war, and the sugar was sold to the Iranian
Government. The Government wished to charter the ship to fetch from Assab
some goods which had been on their way to Iran in an Italian steamer when
Italy entered the war, but on making application to the brokers in London they
found that she had been chartered by someone else. Annoyed at this, and alle°-in«'
that the captain (who had no powers in the matter) had promised that the Tvmok
would make the voyage to Assab, the Shah has ordered that the sugar shall not
be paid for until the goods have been lifted from Assab. An American steamer
chartered, it is believed, at a cost of over $180,000, is on her way to Assab and
the Netherlands Legation are wondering what is to happen if the goods, about
which there is no news, are found to have been destroyed or damaged in RAF
raids.
13. Roumanian Interests.
The Roumanian Legation at Tehran has been closed down.
14. Japanese Interests.
Reference Intelligence Summary No. 22 (current), paragraph 9. Lieutenant-
Uolonel lomo Takasima left Tehran on the 10th November for Japan via Baedad
and Colombo.