IOR/L/PS/10/1313

The volume containsIntelligence Reports from the British Residency in Baghdad (which became theBritish Legation in October 1932 and the British Embassy in November 1932),issued at two-week intervals from 7 January 1931 to 28 November 1932. Theylargely relate to: the political situation in Iraq; the proceedings of theIraqi Government and Parliament; relations with other countries; and the activitiesof King Faisal [Fayṣal bin Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī].

The Intelligence Reports arenumbered from 1 during each calendar year. Each report is preceded by acovering circular issued by the Colonial Office up to October 1932, and theForeign Office from November 1932, indicating the British Governmentdepartments to which the report was copied. The circulars are dated 20 March1931-15 December 1932.

Nearly all of the reportscover the activities of Cabinet, internal affairs, and relations with Persia[Iran]. Also covered in a majority of reports are the activities of the Chamberof Deputies, relations with Najd, relations with Syria, and a Kurdish revolt inBarzan led by Shaikh Ahmad [Aḥmad Bārzānī].

Other subjects covered in multiple reportsinclude:

• Issues related to Assyrian refugees (reports 12-19, 21 and 24 of 1932)
• Relations with Turkey (reports 4 and 7 of 1931, and 1, 2, 12, 18, 20 and 21 of 1932)
• Affairs of the Yazidis (reports 4, 9, 17, 19 and 24 of 1931, and 2 and 4 of 1932)
• Affairs in Mosul (reports 6, 10 and 13 of 1931, and 15, 16, 18 and 20 of 1932)
• Affairs in Sulaimani [Sulaymaniyah] (reports 3-6 and 14 of 1931)
• A Kurdish revolt led by Shaikh Mahmud [Maḥmūd Barzanjī] (reports 7-11 of 1931)
• Activities of the Senate (reports 1 and 2 of 1931, and 2 and 3 of 1932)
• Affairs in Kurdistan (reports 1, 2 and 8 of 1931, and 6 of 1932)
• Affairs in other parts of Iraq, including Arbil [Erbel] (reports 9, 10 and 21 of 1931) and Diwaniyah (2 and 19 of 1932)
• Relations with other countries, including Trans-Jordan (reports 23 of 1931 and 24 of 1932), Italy (4 and 22 of 1932), and Kuwait (18 and 19 of 1932).

The volume also includes a memorandum on the Anglo-Iraqi operations against Shaikh Ahmad by Sir Francis Humphrys, HM Ambassador to Iraq, dated 20 February 1933, with a covering circular from the Foreign Office dated 19 April 1933.