The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-28
BLAME BRITISH
INTRUSION FOR
PERSIA OIL ROW
AmiCabIe Agreement on
Cancellation Banned,
Official Claims.
BY EUGENE LYONS,
United Press Stan Correspondent

fCoDvriaht 1892 by United Press
TEHERAN, Persia. Dec. 28-The
British governments Nintrusion"
prevented an amicable agreement by
Persia and the Anglo-P Persian oil
company after cancellation Of the
company's concession, Foreign Min
lister Muhamed Ali Khan Foroughi
told the United Press.
The stake at issue in the cancel
lation Of that concession is a great
oil reserve for the navy of Great
Britain, empress Of the seas, and
Persia's most profitable natural re-
source.
The cancellation has brought
about a dispute that threatened
serious international repercussions,
with Persia challenging the might of
Great Britain.
The foreign minister expressed
conhdencetha the League Of Ma
tions council would uphold Persias
claims when it considers the dis
pute, submitted for settlement by
the Persian and British govern
ments
Claims Right TO Cancel
Persia claimed it had the right to
cancel the concession; British denied
that claim.
The foreign minister indicated
Persia's continued readiness for di-
rect negotiations with the oil COM
pany, although Persia will not agree
to withdraw annulment Of the con-
cession as a preliminary to such
negotiations.
The foreign minister considered
Teheran the only suitable place for
negotiations.
Muhamed Ali Khan, scholarly.
bespectacled diplomat, defended the
justice Of Persias efforts to read
just IAN idiotic transaction made
more than thirty years ago under
extremely one-sided and unfavor-
able conditions"
Ill Will Is Denied
Hossein Khan Ala, former minister
to Washington and Paris, who will
head the Persian delegation to
Geneva, was present during part of
the interview. The diplomat,
diminutive, polished, and reputedly
Persia's most brilliant envoy. said
he probably would start for Geneva
this week
The foreign minister emphasized
that PerSia'S action in cancelling
the Darcy concession was not
prompted by i'll will or prejudice
against the company, and should
not be interpreted as an inimcal
gesture against foreigners general
ly'
Nor was it intended to signify
that Persia does not value the
friendship of Great Britain" the
foreign minister added.
asked Muhamed Ali Kahn if
Russian, American, or other foreign
interests were in any way connected
with cancellation of the concession.
He denied such possibility. He
characterized such rumors in the
foreign press as IAN endeavor to
poison the worlds public opinion"
Fear Diplomatic Rupture
He emphasized that the shahs
government is based on the prin-
ciple of complete freedom from for
eign influences.
The foreign minister pointed out
that when Great Britain asked that
Article Is of the league covenant
be invoked for consideration of the
dispute, it was brought into the
class Of controversy which might
lead to diplomatic rupture. CThe
British government is the chief
stakeholder in Anglo-Persian)
This and other actions showed
Britain's unfriendly attitude, the
foreign minister said.
Persia, always a strong believer
in the league, naturally thought of
submitting the dispute to the league
council he said, but was at loss
to know why the British govern
ment thought it fitting to interfere
in an affair which concerns solely
the Persian government and a pri-
vate company.