THE FARMAN (ROYAL PROCLAMATION) OF AUGUST 5, 1906
Farman of the late Shah, Muzaffaru'd-Din Shah the Great (may God make luminous his Proof 1), dated 14Jumada ii, A.H. 1324(=August 5, A.D. 1906).[1]
To the Right Honourable His Excellency the Prime Minister.
Whereas God Most High (glorious is His State !) hath entrusted to Our hands the direction of the progress and prosperity of the well-protected realms of Persia, and hath constituted Our Royal Personage the Guardian of the Rights of all the people of Persia and of all our loyal subjects-
THEREFORE on this occasion, our Royal and Imperial Judgment has decided, for the peace and tranquility of all the people of Persia, and for the strengthening and consolidation of the foundations of the State, that such reforms as are this day required in the different departments of the State and of the Empire shall be effected; and we do enact that an Assembly of delegates elected by the Princes, the Doctors of Divinity ('ulama), the Qajar family, the nobles and notables, the land-owners, the merchants and the guilds shall be formed and constituted, by election of the classes above mentioned, in the capital Tihran; which Assembly shall carry out the requisite deliberations and investigations on all necessary subjects connected with important affairs of the State and Empire and the public interests; and shall render the necessary help and assistance to our Cabinet of Ministers in such reforms as are designed to promote the happiness and well-being of Persia; and shall, with complete confidence and security, through the instrumentality of the first Lord of the State, submit (their proposals to Us), so that these, having been duly ratified by Us, may be carried into effect. It is evident that, in accordance with this August Rescript, you will arrange and prepare a code of regulations and provisions governing this Assembly, and likewise the ways and means necessary to its formation, so that, by the help of God Most High this Assembly may be inaugurated and may take in hand the necessary reforms.
We likewise enact that you should publish and proclaim the text of this August Rescript, so that all the people of Persia, being duly informed of our good intentions, all of which regard the progress of the Government and People of Persia, may, with tranquil minds, engage in prayer for Us.
Given (under Our hand) in the Sahib-Qiraniyya Palace on the fourteenth of Jumada the Second in the eleventh year of Our Reign (=August 5, 1906).
[1] The Royal Proclamation was translated by E.G. Brown and published in his book, The Persian Revolution of 1905-1909, New Edition, Mage Publishers, Washington, DC 1995, pp. 353-4