مجموعة ٢٨/٩٠ "بلاد فارس. زيارة وزير الشؤون الخارجية الفارسي إلى أفغانستان والهند." [و‎‎٤‎٧] (٣١٣/٩٣)

that steps should be taken after consultation with our
consular authorities in Iran to negotiate an arrangement
of this kind through H.M. Legation at Tehran, and
(c) it should be made plain to Mons. Kazemi that, if
the present attempts of the local Iranian authorities at
Zahidan to force Indian drivers and Indian owned lorries
not only off the Persian roads, but also off the Indian
road as far as Nok Kundi continued, we on our side should
be compelled to adopt more stringent measures, such as
refusing visas altogether to Iranian Lorry Drivers to
proceed beyond Mirjava. We fully realise that this would
be met with reciprocal action and that Indian drivers
would not then be allowed to proceed beyond Mirjava in the
direction of Zahidan. But this we were prepared to face,
since it would at any rate secure for Indian drivers a
monopoly of the Indian stretch of the road. Such an
arrangement would however cause great dislocation of traffic
and inconvenience to the public and we were therefore very
loath to impose such restrictions, if the Iranians on their
part were disposed to be reasonable and to agree to an
arrangement such as is suggested above.
2. The question was also briefly discussed whether
restrictions of this kind would be effective for preventing
Iranian owned lorries driven by Indian drivers from plying
on the Indian side of the Frontier. Mr. Caroe explained that
there were considerable legal difficulties about this and
that it was best at present not to raise the question. It
may be hoped that a withdrawal of visas for Iranian drivers
would, if it had to be adopted, induce a more reasonable
frame of mind and render further action against Iranian owned
lorries unnecessary.
(Signed) H.Metcalfe.
2.11.35.