خارجي ٤١/٥٠٠٠(٢) "بلاد فارس: الوضع قبيل احتلال الحلفاء، وما بعده" [و‎‎٩‎٢] (٦٠٦/١٨٣)

[This telegram is of particular secrecy and should he
retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on],
[CYPHER] WAR CABINET DISTRIBUTION ,
FROM: IRAQ .
FROM BAG DAD TO FOREIGN OFFICE .
Sir K. Cornwallis. D. 4.50 p.m., 25th August, 1941.
No. 976 .
25th August, 1941. R. 1,20 a.m., 26th August, 1941.
Repeated to Tehran No. 217,
Government of India No. 342,
Moscov/ No. 21,
Cairo No. 596 (repetition to Minister of State
as my telegram No. 17),
Angora No. 255.
.5 3 3
IMMEDIATE.
Your telegram No. 810.
I communicated the statement contained in your telegram
under reference to the Prime Minister and Minister for
External Affairs this morning. They took it well and said
that we could count on their supeort and assistance.
They pointed out, however, that Iraq was now in imminent
danger of war, and that in accordance with Article 4 of
the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty, consultation between us and them
was necessary. They asked for the advice of His Majesty's
Government regarding what political and military action
was necessary. In particular they referred on the
political side to the position of the Iraqi Minister in
Tehran and of the Iraqi Consuls at different-places.
They wished to know what military precautions are being
aken to protect Iraq, and especially Bagdad from aerial
and otheif.aiiapk, and What Use could bc~made of "the Iraqi
Army. > They were obviously worried by the absence of
anti-aircraft guns here. They raised no objection to the
detention of Persian prisoners at Shaibah. While I was
with them, the Minister for Foreign Affairs issued
instructions that Persian representatives in this country
should not be allowed to send cypher telegrams, and that
cypher telegrams from Persia to them should be held up
for a considerable time.
2. I said that, until the reaction of the Persian
Government to our military advance was known, it was not
possible to give any definite advice regarding political
action which it might be necessary to take. The situation
should become clearer in the next day or two and [groups
omitted: ?there was] still hope that the Persian Government
would realise that it was opposing forces which it could
not/