PERSIA: Ahmad’s Protest

Despatches from Persia last week revealed the text of the proclamation deposing Shah Ahmad of Persia, which the Persian Dictator, Premier Reza Khan, caused to be adopted (TIME, Nov. 9) with the evident purpose of making himself the supreme arbiter of Persia in name as well as in fact.

The Decree: “In the name of the welfare of the people, the National Consultative Assembly de clares the abolition of the Kajar Sovereignty,* and within the limits of the constitution and laws of Persia entrusts Provisional Government to the person of Reza Kahn Pahlavi. The determining of a form of permanent government shall be made by the Constituent Assembly, which shall for this purpose amend the constitution as may be necessary.”

Further reports declare that the Constituent Assembly is expected to be convened within a month. It is regarded as certain that Reza Kahn will then be elected to head whatever form of government is determined upon. Conflicting rumors assert that he favors: 1) A republic patterned after that now headed in Turkey by Mustapha Kernel Pasha. 2) The installation of himself as “Shahinshah,”* with the full original implications of the title. Since Reza Kahn is an extremely adept politician, U.S. observers opined that he would find the office of President well suited to his talents if not to his vanity.

At Paris Shah Ahmad declared: I am, and remain the legitimate constitutional sovereign of Persia, and I await the hour of my return, to my country to serve my people, whose noble character and loyalty to me in difficult times I shall never forget. … The coup d’état which Reza Khan has just committed against the constitution and against my dynasty was made at the point of the bayonet. . . . Against it I have raised a vehement and solemn protest. I consider as void and without value all present and future acts of his government. I maintain all my rights and those of my dynasty to the throne of Persia, which, by the grace of God, I hold according to the fundamental laws of my country’s constitution.”

It was recalled that Shah Ahmad has been leading a notoriously languid and luxurious existence in Europe for the past two years. For him to evince sufficient interest in Persian affairs even to “vehemently protest” is something of an event.

He has been criticized in the past for “abandoning” Persia to Dictator Reza Khan, but last week he referred to the coups by which Reza Khan has made himself master of Persia (TIME, Nov. 9) as follows: “Reza Khan, after winning over the army, has consistently abused all public powers in the community, and violated the constitutional laws of the empire.” The Shah explained his own long residence in Europe, which has been attributed to a taste for European “high life,” by saying: “I have thought it necessary, in order to avoid all international agitation, which would have caused my country to suffer, to leave my country and by this sacrifice show how fully I disapprove of the illegal arbitrary acts of Reza Khan.

Individuals of a cynical turn of mind noted that early in the week the Shah seemed indifferent toward events in Persia. It was only after Prince Samad Khan Momtaz, the Persian Minister to France, had anxiously sought him at the Hotel Majestic, that he took what is for him an unprecedentedly firm stand. His “protest” is not expected to count for much against the “bayonets” of Reza Khan. The British Government has already given “provisional recognition” to the new “provisional government” of Persia. The Russian Government, which has been freely rumored to be behind Reza Khan, recognized the new regime by telegraph almost before it was announced.

*Ex-Shah Ahmad is a Kajar, and the dynasty has ruled in Persia since 1779.

*Literally “King of Kings,” the ancient Persian title which lapsed for manycenturies, but was revived by the Kajars whose present weakness makesit a mockery.