Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
Minister from Persia
/. Among Learned Sons
of His Native Land
Mira Meftah, an Accom-
plished Diplomatist, Joins
i, Ranks of Foreign ENJOYS
in Capital:

In the new Minister from Persia
the foreign Office of ,Teheran has sent
one Of its most accomplished diploma
lists. Like the Persians of the upper
classes, Mira Meftah was educated
Under private tutors and at the age
If 90 he entered TIE foreign office
Shere his father. Mira Manhood
a[han Meftahol MoIk. was distin'
Euished official. the inventor OF the
private code in teaegraphy ana ~
N,ftirg now in use in the Persian
Government. The elder Meftahol was
an anostle of higher education in his
country and wrote many pHwertnl
hooks seeking the syStemiZing or the
national methods.
I The Minister has lived in many
countries in his long diplomatic serN-
fee. and az he was for several years
eryov 10 London, he speaks English
perfectly, but this was Included In ms
gpnerai education ard he had niuch
experience in Teheran, where ne was
chief of the English bureau IN the
ministry of state. In lSUs ne Was
made permanent undersecretary OF
state and continued in this Office for
nearly three years, meeting many Oh
fhe Americans who were engaged In
fhts rehabilitation of Persian finances,
sone of whom he has found in WASH
fneton. The Minister has served In
MANY delightful roles, such as the
envoy of the Persian government at
the Durhar. when King George was
crowned Emperor OF India at Delhi,
and he had previously been special
delegate TO the coronation of the same
hing at Westminster Palace.
I After serving in the picturesque role
n. the Durbar, Mira Khan M0tah
u,as named consul general 10 Inoia,
and he remained there until the enc
Of 1919, all during the stormy pe1lVu
az tha World War. After serving III
london he returned to Teheran as
minister of foreign affairs, and was IN
that posttion when he was named oy
fhe Shah to succeed NJ. HusSe1n Alal'
now serving in the Persian Senate.
The Minister is in the early oVS
and he was married about 20 Years
ago Nine. Meftah is in their nome
ri. Teheran and it is unlikely that sns
will make the long journey TO WASH
ington. Conditions of life are SO oli-
ferent and she has besides to look
after the education OF the young
daughter who is attending school IN
the Persian capital. The Minister mas
FIVE children, the eldest Of whom Is
Abdul Hassein Meftah, who IS about
"a and is a member or the Fel satIl
foreign service and at present Secre-
+oyv of legation in Brussels. The
older daughter is married to Pr1nce
6rastah. Persian charge d 'af1alres IN
London. Galam HaSSein Khan Mel
tab is in the department of nnance
IN Teheren, and the youngest son, An-
dull Ali Khan Meftah, who is ABOUT
II. is at the University of Berlin.
The Persian legation is the Oldest
Of the diplomatic establishments In
Iyashinrton where the Mohammedan
faith prevails, now that this govern
Ipent no longer holds friendly reia-
lions with. Turkey. The .EgyptiaIlss
follow the creed Of the Prophet. bat
their women, as also those OF turkey,
have exacted much more freedom tnan
was customary under the old laws.
In Persia the ladies still retain their
habits of seclusion. Though thev en-
terrain freely and lavishfy at home
and attend the fetes of others, they
have not Joined any Of the feminist
movements and they live much the
same as before the great war dis
turbed the habits OF the Ottoman
Empire and that of Egypt. 1t Is not
considered good form for. a PERSIAN
lady ever to have her name uttered
in public. still less to have it printed,
and these rules still hold, apparently
with the consent and approval OF all
concerned. No persian envoy has
brought his wife to Washington, nor
do their ladies usually accompany
their husbands into any alien land.
Mira Davoud Khan Meftah has ripe
scholarship and the ease OF the eos
naopolite. and he intends to revive In
the legation the hospitable traditions
OF his country, which have lapSed
somewhat during the long interreg'
mum after the departure Of the last
Minister S1vfi