مجموعة ٣٩/٢٨(٢) "بلاد فارس. مراسلات مطبوعة، ١٩٣٧-" [ظ‎‎٢‎١] (٣٢٠/٤٢)

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( 31 )
Despatch from His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran, to His Majesty’s
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, London, No. 153/357-3-37,
dated the 22fco April 1937.
With reference to your despatch No. 70 (T 1687/1697/379) of the 17th
February, I have the honour to report that I was to-day received in audience
bv His imperial Majesty the Shah for the purpose of presenting my new
credentials. His Imperial Majesty on receiving them expressed his best
wishes for the health and prosperity of Their Majesties the King and Queen.
2. After the presentation of my credentials, His Imperial Majesty retain
ed me for about twenty minutes of conversation, accompanied by tea and
cigarrettes. Nothing remarkable passed but His Majesty showed (as he is
fond of doin<y ) that he was informed of my movements during a tour which
I recently made in South Iran. He talked about the progress of the railway,
part of which I had visited in the neighbourhood of Khorramabad and re
ferred to the great importance of Iran being linked by rail with the outer
world. The conversation was in fact on general lines and covered more or
less the usual Tehran topics.
3. I should perhaps mention that the conversation at one point turned
upon a carpet which His Imperial Majesty is sending to London for presen
tation to The King, and which I had seen some days previously. I his carpet
is a specimen of Modern Iranian work, in which the Shah takes a personal
interest, and is from his own collection. While I cannot speak with any pre
tention bo expert knowledge, the carpet appears to me a very fine example
of the best modern Iranian product.
4. His Imperial Majesty’s attitude was friendly, and he gave the impres
sion of being in good health, though possibly rather tired. I was told that
he had in fact been somewhat fatigued by his recent journeys m the South.
5. I may note in conclusion that the audience took place in the new
Pahlevi palace, which is now practically complete. The outside of this as
tonishing structure is made of a greenish coloured marble, smoothed and
•ind polished Of the interior I only saw the very simple office m which His
Imperial Majesty receives, but I understand the state apartments are on
a scale of magnificence to correspond with the exterior. The Shah has cer
tainly equalled or surpassed his predecessors in the scale of his palace building.
6. I am sending copies of this despatch to the Foreign Secretary to the
Government of India No. 69.
(32)
Despatch feom His Majesty’s Minister, Tehran, to His Majesty’s
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, London, No. 136-E.
DATED THE 24TH APRIL 1937.
1 have the honour to report that, in accordance with a decision of the
Council of Ministers, an Economic Council has been constituted for the so
lution of the economic problems of the Empire.” An extract from the
“ Journal de Teheran ” of April 16th, reporting this decision and gjYmg
details as to the constitution and functions of the new body, is enclosed
herewith.
2 The need for an organization to co-ordinate the economic activities
of the various Government departments and monopoly companies is obvious,
n A present confused economic and financial situation will provide im-
mediate Surgent problems for the attention E—o ^ *
The most interesting features in the constitution of the Council are the n
elusion in its membership of three non-official persons,
ouestions economdques ”, and of the president of the Council tor the super
vision of Government companies (Monsieur Ala). It may be assumed that