Monsieur Naus, cleverer than Poirot!

Joseph Naus, the Belgian minister of Iran (Persia)

 

In 1897, Aminuddula, the prime minister of Mozaffaraddin shah (Qajar shah 1895 - 1907) introduced a set of custom, trades, and tariff reforms, which prioritized foreigners over Iranians. These reforms devastatingly hurt the Iranian merchants. An overwhelming discontent emerged and Aminuddula, who could not endure the pressure, was replaced in 1898 with Atabak, who was also known as Aminussoltan. Aminussoltan, however, even went further and asked the British to help in this regard. The British did not accept the request. Nevertheless, they advised Iran to make use of Joseph Naus, the leader of the Belgian delegation. Naus accepted the offer and with the help of Belgian officers, he was able to implement a harsher version of what Aminuddula had introduced, increasing both transit duties for passage through the interior of the country and the taxes on all commodities. He was so successful in raising funds for the court Mozaffaraddin shah that in a few months he was promoted by the king himself to hold the following posts:
1) Head of Iran's Department of Treasury
2) Head of Iran's Postal Services
3) Head of Iran's Costume Services
4) Member of National Security Council

5) Head of Iran's Immigration Services

...

 

It is interesting to read it: http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/details.asp?id=100514 (British Treaty Series 1903/10)

 

He was really a clever man and could easily fool people, this pic shows Monsieur Naus with a Shia Muslim clerical dress, talking with a famous Mullah: