[THE LAST SHAH OF IRAN] Manuscript royal consular commission appointing an Iranian Consul at Trabzon, with jurisdiction over the eastern and central Black Sea region of Turkey, boldly signed by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

PAHLAVI, MOHAMMAD REZA (Shah of Iran), (1919-1980).

Saadabad Palace, 18 Azar 2535 Shahanshahi [9 December 1976].

Original manuscript document. Folio. (31 × 20 cm). In Persian. [1] p., eight lines. Entirely manuscript in an elegant Persian nasta'lîq hand on a single large sheet of heavy cream paper, headed by the large blind-embossed Imperial Arms of Iran. Boldly signed in blue ink by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi beneath the royal heading and countersigned in ink by the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs at foot. Housed in a brown passe-partout. A horizontal fold across the centre, with a few light handling creases, otherwise well preserved.

An official manuscript royal consular commission issued by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, appointing an Iranian consul in Trabzon, on Turkey's Black Sea coast, with an extensive consular jurisdiction covering Artvin, Rize, Giresun, Gümüşhane, Ordu, Samsun, Sinop, Amasya, and Tokat, countersigned by the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The decree explicitly places the appointment within the context of the friendly relations between Iran and the Republic of Turkey, stating its purposes as the expansion and development of commercial relations and the protection of the interests of Iranian merchants and other Iranian subjects residing temporarily or permanently in Turkey. The Shah formally requests the President of the Republic of Turkey to instruct the appropriate authorities to recognise the appointed consul, to provide him with the assistance necessary for the performance of his mission, and to accord him all the rights and privileges customarily granted to consular officials.

An important manuscript document relating to Iranian-Turkish diplomatic and commercial relations, recording the geographical extent of Iranian consular jurisdiction from Trabzon across a substantial part of northern Turkey during the final years of the Pahlavi monarchy.