WesWorld

Persian News, 1942

Naval Developments

The Persian Navy sells the light aircraft carrier Oqab to Mexico. The Navy had concluded that the carrier did not add a significant capability to its usual operating areas in the Gulf and along the south coast. Further, they had limited experience operating carriers and foresaw that maintaining a small fleet air arm would be challenging. Finally, some officers had expressed concern that the carrier was simply too small, and lacked sufficient room to accommodate a useful number of modern aircraft.

The Navy's new objective is to build up a strong coastal-defence fleet with some traditional trade defence elements. This means a core of modern cruisers - two of which are in service and a third now building in Bharat. These will back up a force of (eventually) a dozen modern destroyers plus torpedo-boats. Sloops will be built to escort commercial traffic, and the auxiliary force will be bolstered with new tugs, minesweepers, and tenders.

Significantly, the emphasis is for future construction (with the possible exception of cruisers) to be domestically built and maintained, with ordnance interoperability with Bharat. This means expanding slipways and drydocks to accommodate destroyer construction and cruiser refits. Happily, equipment sales to China are allowing for such work.

The two new light cruisers are renamed for heros of Persian mythology, after it is determined that the previous names are not appropriate.*

Eyeballs are cast upon older warships, such as the two elderly CLs bought from the UK not so long ago. Their life in service is not expected to be long...

Army Developments

The Army takes receipt of a number of Skoda-Davao LT-33 light tanks from the Philippines. Recent unrest in that country had not significantly affected delivery timetables, and the Army remains of the view that these are useful fighting vehicles.

Air Force Developments

The Air Force is not actively procuring equipment, but is rather making a re-evaluation of strategic needs in support of future procurements.




*Seriously. Wiki-ing "Palang" yields a decidedly NSFW result, y'all.

Quoted

Originally posted by The Rock Doctor
*Seriously. Wiki-ing "Palang" yields a decidedly NSFW result, y'all.

I'll take your word for it...

Thank yourself for doing so.

Palang means Leopard in farsi as seen when googling it especially for pictures

Ahhhhh...

Thanks for that clarification.

May 5th, 1942: The Tehran Tattler

Quoted

The Minister for Foreign Affairs told reporters that the Majlis has passed a motion calling for a resumption of diplomatic relations with Belgium and the Netherlands. "It is the view of the Assembly that the current state of affairs serves no continued benefit to the people of Persia", the Minister stated. "Both governments will be invited to re-open their embassies here in Tehran, and we will look to appointing ambassadors in turn."

June 1, 1942: The Tehran Telegraph

Quoted

The spring session of the Majlis has been thrown into disarray. A member from Isfahan, Mirza Bashi, introduced a motion that would, if passed, amend the constitution to grant suffrage to females. "It is time for Persia to step forward", he said outside the hall.

Conservative members of the assembly have vowed to fight the motion, asserting that women should not be subjected to the vitriol and moral compromise associated with politics. "It is not right", said Ardesir Ohanian. "It is our duty to protect women, and so we must not let this motion come to pass."

July 1, 1942

Quoted

To: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of France
From: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Persia

Dear Sir,

As you know, our nations signed a treaty of non-agression on Jannuary 10, 1930. This treaty included provisions for the French construction of infrastructure in Persia, and emergency basing rights for France. This treaty was concluded for a period of ten years, with no explicit clauses related to automatic renewal.

Please be advised that the Government of Persia takes the position that the treaty expired on January 9, 1940.

Consistent with Article III, Paragraph IV, it is the intention of the Government of Persia to repay one half of previous French infrastructure investments. This sum [OOC: 0.8 IP, versus 1.5 IP previously invested] is proposed to be repaid in the following installments:

Q4/42: 0.4 IP
Q1 - Q4/43: 0.1 IP per quarter

The Government of Persia apologizes for the lateness in attending to this matter, and asks if this timetable is acceptable to France.

Sincerely,

Etc., etc.

Thanks - still traveling, will respond IC later.

No rush, man.