§ MR. LYNCH (Yorkshire, W.R., Ripon)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the text of Article 45 of the Persian Constitution provides that the Royal Firmans will be sanctioned only when they have received the signature of a responsible minister, and in that case the minister will be responsible for them; will he ascertain whether the military operations which resulted in the sacking of the Persian Parliament House and the suppression of the Parliament were conducted by Colonel Liakhoff and other Russian officers, and, if so, whether the orders executed by them were sanctioned by a responsible minister; and whether, in the opinion of His Majesty's Government, it is in accordance with the spirit of the Anglo-Russian Agreement that military officers lent by Russia to the Persian Government shall direct the suppression by force of arms of the rights guaranteed to the Persian people by their Constitution.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThis is practically the same Question as the hon. Member asked me two days ago, and I am not prepared to give any other reply than I gave then. I have been dealing by telegram with the points which were most urgent in connection with the recent crisis at Teheran; and I cannot form an opinion, and still less say whether it is necessary to express an opinion, upon other matters connected with the proceedings of the Shah and officers in his service till I receive full Reports.