IOR/L/PS/12/3776

This file contains correspondence between British officials concerning their response to the Government of Iran's desire to establish a navy in the Persian Gulf. Topics discussed include what role the British Government should play in terms of supplying ships, personnel and training and the subsequent role of the Italian Government in this regard. Much of the later correspondence in the file relates to the specifics of Italy's involvement in supplying Iran's fledgling naval force.

The file contains a limited amount of correspondence in French between Britain's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Tehran, Sir Robert Henry Clive and the Iranian Minister, Abdolhossein Teymourtash.

In addition to correspondence, the file contains the following:

• 'Report of Visit to Persian Gunboat "Babr" on 20th January 1935' (folios 22-23)
• 'Precis of conversation with Lieutenant Bucconi of the Italian Navy attached to the Persian Navy', 1933 (folios 46-48)
• 'Anglo-Persian Negotiations. Suggested sale to Persia by Great Britain of Patrol Vessels for anti-contraband work in Persian Gulf, and proposed British Naval Mission for Persia' (folios 237-248)
• 'Persian Naval Proposals' - minutes of meetings held on the topic at the Foreign Office in 1929 (folios 292-302, 272-283).

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.