Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎274r] (547/807)

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(ii) M. Embrechts, chief representative of Standard Telephone Company in
Iran, has been informed by the German authorities in Belgium that, because ot
his absence, they are confiscating all property found in his private safe deposit
in the Banque d’Anvers. M. Embrechts values this at over £6,000. Besides this,
‘the Belgian authorities have given him notice that, unless he pays property tax
for 1939 and 1940, his property will be compulsorily sold.
6. German Interests.
(i) The local press printed an important-looking telegram from Berlin
announcing the signature of a commercial agreement about quotas between
Germany and Iran at Berlin on Friday, the 6th December, by M. Hamid Sayyah,
Director-General of the Ministry for Foreign x^ffairs, for Iran, and Herr Clodius
for the Reich. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs state in confidence that this
agreement, which is a matter of annual routine, could have been concluded between
a secretary from the German Legation in Tehran and the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs, but the German Government insisted that an Iranian official should visit
Berlin for the purpose, and advertised the signature of the agreement as though
it was something of great importance.
(ii) There is some evidence of a scheme based on Tehran to try to restore
diplomatic relations between Germany and Iraq and to injure British interests
in Iraq in general. The intermediaries have not been chosen from among the
large number of Germans already present in Iran, but have been sent out specially
for the purpose.
(iii) It is said that the clearing balance in favour of Iran which existed at
the beginning of the war has been cleared off by means of items approximately
as follows :—
Marks.
Material for Kerej blast furnaces 1,600,000
Freight, &c., on this material ... ... ... 1,000,000
Miscellaneous orders ... ... ... ... 600,000
3,200,000
(iv) There are already fifty Germans at the Kerej blast furnaces, and it is
calculated that by next spring there will be 500.
(v) General Koestrin, the German Military Attache at Moscow, is expected
to visit Tehran shortly.
7. Greek Interests.
There are some 200 Greek foremen and labourers in Iran, mostly employed
on the Iranian State Railways. Of the above, several have applied to His
Majesty’s Legation for repatriation with a view to joining the Greek forces.
The Turkish Embassy, who look after Greek interests in Iran, have as yet received
no instructions.
The Royal Greek Consulate at Bagdad have published a notice in the
Bagdad Times calling up Greek subjects for registration in Iraq.
8. U.S.S.R. Interests.
The Soviet trade representatives in Iran were very much annoyed when, on
their recent buying tour in Iran, they found that the Germans had bought up
all the available raw materials. There is no doubt the Russians will do all they
can to obstruct the transit of these materials via Russia.
9. Internal Conditions.
Bread shortage is acute in Isfahan and I abriz and public feeling is rising.
It is openly stated that the country’s wheat is being exported to Germany.
10. Communications.
(i) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 17 (current), paragraph 14 (ii). The
enquiry from the Imperial Government about the repair of the Indian section
of the Quetta-Zahidan Railway elicited a rather discouraging reply from the
Government of India, who remember too well what difficulties the Imperial
Government used to create at Mirjawa, the only place where there is a sufficiency