IOR/L/PS/12/3540

Correspondence and other papers relating to a trip made by an Iranian mission to India, at the invitation of the Government of India, to promote closer cultural relations between the two countries. The file includes: correspondence between the British Ambassador at Tehran, Reader William Bullard, and the Government of India, relating to the initial invitation and subsequent arrangements for the visit; details of Iranians who will be on the mission, including the Iranian Minister of Culture Ali Asghar Hikmat [Mirza Ali-Asghar Khan Hekmat e-Shirazi]; press notes and press cuttings about the mission; the Iranian mission’s proposal to bestow medals of the Order of Nishan [Nishan-e-Aqdas] on certain educational leaders in India; a copy of a souvenir brochure (written in English and Persian) commemorating the Iranian cultural mission’s visit to India (ff 8-31). The brochure includes: an introduction written by the Governor-General of India, Archibald Percival Wavell; the texts of a number of speeches made by Ali Asghar Hikmat; the text of a lecture on Iran’s history and people by Hassan Suhrawardy; maps of the mission’s itinerary; and numerous photographs of scenes of India and the mission’s visit.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.