Junkers proposes to open a route from Teheran to Iraq on 1 March 1927. The German Foreign Office told their Consul in Teheran that Germany will discuss with the British Government the question of Junkers being granted “permanent landing permission” at Baghdad. The German Consul was instructed to sound out British views in Persia first. On 12 February 1927 Jarolimek told the British Minister in Teheran that Junkers would remain a German company in Persia, and that he did not intend to form a Persian company as a Persian company would not have the benefit of capitulations. He said that a difficulty had arisen with the Russians who were refusing to accept Persian mails by air at Baku. Junkers was hoping to negotiate an agreement with the Soviet Ministry of Posts, but meanwhile would not fly beyond Enzeli. Privately, the British view was that any links with foreign airlines in Iraq were to be resisted on strategic grounds. The British intended to establish an exclusive air route from London to India and did not want foreigners gaining influence in the Middle East. However there were practical difficulties. Persia lay on the proposed air route to India, and Britain would shortly be seeking permission for Imperial Airways to fly in Persian airspace. It would therefore be difficult to refuse a Persian request to land Junkers aircraft at Baghdad. This ambivalent attitude is exemplified by the British response to a request from Junkers in February 1927 that their representative be allowed to fly into Baghdad. A Colonel at Air Headquarters Baghdad wrote to the British High Commissioner Baghdad on 3 March 1927: It was then pointed out to Air Headquarters Baghdad that the Junkers request was personally supported by the German Chargé d’Affaires, and was not a request of the Persian Government. Junkers then asked whether permission might be granted to fly to Khanaqin, if permission to land in Baghdad was refused. This too was refused. Other difficulties were outlined in a telegram dated 26 February 1926 from the British Foreign Office to Sir Percy Loraine: “The Air Officer Commanding is of opinion that the request should be refused on the grounds that:- (i) There are no civil aerodromes in Baghdad. (ii)That Junkers Representative can travel without difficulty by the normal route from the frontier. He would however suggest that permission might be given if the Persian Government were willing to grant permission should a representative of Imperial Airways wish to fly in one of their machines to Teheran.”
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