WesWorld

1. New Naval Programme in Full Swing
2. Azerbaijani Sabre-Rattling
3. SATSUMA Benefits
4. Afghani Border Raids
5. New Railway Project to Begin 1932

The Navy has laid down eight new ships this quarter. Two of these mighty ships were laid down in Japan: these ships will be the largest Persia has ever had in her glorious history. Navy Minister Shapour Zahedi put the Majlis' fears to rest in a message to Parliament stating that auditors had been hired to protect against corruption in the Naval Ministry. When the members of Parliament learned the nationality of these auditors, their fears dissipated instantly, knowing that the famously exact and penny-pinching Germans that have been hired will do a fine job of reducing waste.

The Azerbaijani armed trawlers Ittihad and Hummat sailed into what were clearly Iranian territorial waters today and sank a small motor vessel that they claimed belonged to an opium smuggler. Unfortunately authorities were unable to do anything about this breach of international law, as none of the outdated vessels at Bandar-e Anzali were able to get up steam, much less pursue and attack the Azerbaijani vessels.

The esteemed Seyyed Mirpanj, member of the Majlis from Bandar-e Anzali and the cousin of the sunken vessel's owner, denied in a thunderous speech to Parliament that his cousin has anything to do with smuggling of any type, and recommended that the Navy and Army should be built up to halt Azerbaijani aggression. While a few calmer voices disagreed, it appears that much of the Majlis shares his sentiments.

Already the first SATSUMA advisors have arrived in Persia from India, with more coming from the Philippines and Japan later this year. In addition, the crews of the new cruisers being built in Japan are expected to leave the country sometime this winter and travel to Japan, where they will begin familiarizing themselves with the new equipment before sailing the warships home.

Navy Minister Zahedi announced that the Persian Navy will not be attending this year's SATSUMA fleet exercises: however, observers from our country will be on hand to watch our new allies in action.

The small town of Tayyebad in Khorasan Province was attacked by bandits who had had crossed the Afghanistan border. While the local militia were eventually able to drive the roaming tribesmen away, it was not before nearly a hundred people had been killed and much property destroyed. This marks the worst Afghani raid since the reign of Reza Shah the Great began. A protest to the King of Afghanistan was sent through the ambassador in Kabul.

Engineers from Persian, British, and German firms unveiled their plans for the Trans-Persian Railroad to be built from Bandar-e Abbas to Bandar-e Anzali. The railway is to pass through mountainous terrain, and is expected to be both an impressive engineering feat and to provide a boost to the country's economy. Construction will begin in 1932, with the estimated time of completion being in late 1936.

Foreign Minister Mozaffer Tabatabaee has apparently sent diplomatic notes to Turkey and Russia. He has thanked Turkey for letting Azerbaijan know that international law still holds meaning with the rest of the world, and has assured Russia that there is no significant blackmarket opium trade in Persia, as law enforcement has severely cracked down on such activity since the accession of His Imperial Majesty to the throne five years ago, and that Azerbaijan's fabricated claims must be ignored.