Show Its It's the Cats Parisian Puns Peeve Persia Diplomacy PARIS Dec 30 INS INS INS-A A diplomatic diplomatic diplo diplo- matic breach without a a. parallel in n recent times occurred today when Iran Persia broke off relations relations re- re lations with France because of an allegedly disparaging pun in inthe inthe inthe the French press Professional In three Parisian publications had in indulged indulged indulged in- in in a play on words during he the recent cat show in Paris using f chat the French word for the harmless feline in such a manner man man- ner ncr as to enrage the Shah of ot Iran Both words have tho the same pronunciation pronunciation pro pro- but chat bears in French Idiom a double meaning The chose to read an In Insulting in- in suiting inference into the articles article in question and serious anti- anti French demonstrations took place in Teheran the capital of Iran officially officially of officially of- of The rupture in relations was announced by the French foreign office after Sepals Body Iranian minister to Paris had submitted a formal note InformIng informing informing inform inform- ing France of his governments government's decision A brief Issued by bythe bythe bythe the foreign office read road Issues of the newspapers newspaper Petit Parisien Excelsior and the weekly week week- 1 ly 1 comic magazine Los a on the subject of the Paris cat show caused cau ed violent French anti d demonstrations e m 0 n s t rat Ion s to begin in Teheran The French minister French minister was wa was was-in- in J. to provide the Iranian authorities with every tion Nevertheless rr Iran a n decided brusquely to break brcak off relations as of December 28 22 When news of the rupture be became became became be- be came known it was recalled that many years ago when a shah of ot Persia w was s' s s on a state visit to Paris an embarrassing situation was caused by his anger over a somewhat t similar use of his title liUe as the butt of boulevard jokes A diplomatic incident was averted avert avert- ed however WASHINGTON Dec 30 UPI CD- Iran's diplomatic break brcak with France today over a newspaper pun recalled the closing of the Iranian legation here nearly three years ago The Iranian government gave no reason for locking its legation le atlon and consulates in the United States in hr March 1036 Tho The r recall of its Its- diplomatic representatives followed by a few months the arrest of Djalal Iranian minister at Elkton Elkton Elk Elk- ton Md on November 27 21 1935 1931 on a speeding charge As in Paris Iran stiffly pro pro- protested protested protested tested the Elkton incident to o Washington Secretary Hull and the governor of Maryland apologized apologized apologized apolo apolo- but the state department head added a pointed reminder that the United State expected diplomats as well as others to obe obey civil laws J 1 |