Coll 28/90 ‘Persia. Visit of the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs to Afghanistan and India.’ [‎79r] (157/313)

Enclosure (b)»
Political 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. at Bushire.
H.M’s Minister represented the view strongly held by himself
and the Foreign Office that 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. should be transferred to
Bahrain. The evacuation of the naval bases at Hen jam and Basidu
had introduced a new factor. The importance of Bushire as a centre
had declineo practically to zero, it was difficult of access by
sloops of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. division, the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. was far
removed from the Arab Coast where his presence was necessary,he
was in many respects a hostage in the hands of the Iranian Government
who refused to recognise him and who could make his movements
difficult and his position undignified at any moment. His transfer
to Bahrain would put him in close touch with the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Division and on the Imperial Airways route between London and Delhi,
it would also have the advantage of increasing our prestige on
the Arab side of the Gulf.
H.E. the Viceroy favoured the proposed transfer on general
grounds.
The Foreign Secretary to the Government of India pointed out that
in 1934 the proposal to transfer 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 Bahrain had been
dropped mainly on financial grounds. The financial considerations
involved were very serious and he doubted whether either the
Government of India or His Majesty’s Government would be prepared to
find their share of the estimated £100,000/-. There might be
subsequent economies in travelling and telegraphing by the Pol.
Resident, but the initial outlay was calculated to be very heavy.
Moreover it would entail giving up a post at Bushire where some
officer ought to be maintained in case of collapse at any time
of the present regime in Iran. H.M’s Minister said that, this last
point was a distinct matter. There would be no question of leaving
Bushire without a British official. In the present state of affairs
a Vice-Consul would quite possible be sufficient, but the question of
the organisation of our Consulates in South Iran was one requiring
examination. Bushire was now almost a dead city whereas Abadan had
grown and was continuing to grow into a large and important centre,
Mohammerah was an active commercial centre and so was Ahwaz which
alsc