## **20 May 2025**
## **Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of The Iran Society will be held at 6.00 pm on Wednesday 18 June 2025 at The Army & Navy Club, 36 - 39 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5JN**
Under the charity’s constitution, one-third of the Trustees and Council Members shall retire at each AGM and may offer themselves for re-election. Those retiring this year, and who are offering themselves for re-election, are:
Mr A C V Wynn* Mr R M Mackenzie* Dr F A Ala Prof A Ansari *Denotes Trustee
Dr S Horsman has tendered his resignation and Council has nominated Ms E Cohen-Haddon to take his place.
Nominations of further candidates to fill available vacancies for members of Council or Trustees may be made in signed form by a proposer and a seconder, accompanied by a signed letter of consent by the candidate, who may also submit a text of up to 150 words about their candidacy. Nominations must be received no later than Tuesday 04 June 2025.
Any member unable to attend the Meeting may appoint another person as a proxy to exercise all or any of that member’s rights to attend, speak and vote at the Meeting. Proxies must be appointed by sending a signed notification to the Honorary Secretary to arrive no later than Tuesday 17 June 2025.
A copy of the Agenda is given overleaf.
## **D GYE Honorary Secretary**
Registered office: Hudson House, 8 Tavistock Street, London WC2E 7PP Telephone: 020 7235 5122 Email: info@iransociety.org Website: www.iransociety.org Registered Charity No: 1200807
## **ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE IRAN SOCIETY TO BE HELD AT 6.00 PM ON WEDNESDAY 18 JUNE 2025 AT THE ARMY & NAVY CLUB, 36 - 39 PALL MALL, LONDON SW1Y 5JN**
## **A G E N D A**
1. The President’s Welcome: The Right Hon. The Lord Lamont of Lerwick.
2. To confirm the Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting held on 05 June 2024.
3. To receive the Annual Report of the Trustees.
4. - To receive the Financial Statements and Report of the Honorary Examiner
- To approve the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
- To appoint the Honorary Examiner for the ensuing year
5. Election of Trustees and Members of Council
The following Trustees and Members of Council are retiring and offer themselves for re-election:
Mr A C V Wynn* Mr R M Mackenzie* Dr F A Ala Prof A Ansari *Denotes Trustee
The following Member is nominated for election to Council: Ms E Cohen-Haddon
The following Member of Council is retiring:
Dr S Horsman
6. Election of Officers
The following Officers are nominated by Council for election:
Mr A C V Wynn Mr R M Mackenzie
Chairman Hon Treasurer
7. Any other business.
2
## **THE IRAN SOCIETY (Registered Charity No. 1200807)**
# **TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Reference and Administrative Information|4|
|Report of the Trustees|5|
|Report of the Honorary Examiner|6|
|Statement of Financial Activities|7|
|Balance Sheet|8|
|Notes forming part of the financial statements|9|
3
## **THE IRAN SOCIETY**
## **Reference and Administrative Information**
## **Charity number: 1200807**
## **Trustees**
The following Trustees held office during the year ended 31 December 2024 and up to the date of this report:
Mr A C V Wynn _Chairman_ Mr D Gye _Hon Secretary_ Mr R M Mackenzie _Hon Treasurer_ Hon J E Buchan Miss F Hart Mrs J Rady
## **Advisory Council**
The Trustees are also members of the Advisory Council, which also includes:
The Right Hon. The Lord Lamont of Lerwick _(President)_ Dr F A Ala Prof A M Ansari Mr D Blow Ms N Farzad Dr T Fitzherbert Dr S Horsman Prof V Martin Dr A Tahbaz
## **Registered Office:**
Hudson House, 8 Tavistock Street, London WC2E 7PP
## **Independent Examiner:**
Mr J Ingham LLB, FCA
## **Bankers:**
National Westminster Bank Plc, 1 Abbey Road, London NW10 7YQ
4
## **THE IRAN SOCIETY**
## **Report of the Trustees**
## **Structure, governance and management**
The Iran Society (‘the Society’ or ‘CIO’) was registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (‘CIO’) on 24 October 2022, and is governed by its Constitution.
On 01 January 2023, all the activities, assets and liabilities of the former charity called The Iran Society (charity number 248678) were transferred to the CIO. The former charity was then merged with the CIO.
The Society is administered by the Trustees. There must be at least 3 trustees, being initially _ex officio_ the Chairman, the Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Secretary. Up to a further 3 trustees may be appointed from among the members of Council. One third of the trustees shall retire at each AGM after the first AGM.
The Trustees are also members of a Council which advises the Trustees on all matters for which the Trustees have responsibility. There shall be no fewer than 3 nor more than 14 members of Council, including Officers and Trustees, but excluding the President. One third of the members of the Council shall retire at each AGM after the first AGM.
## **Objectives and activities**
The Objects for which the Society is established are to advance education in the subject of Iran, its peoples and culture (but so that in no event should the CIO take a position on, or take any part in, contemporary politics) in particular through the study of language, literature, art, history, religions, antiquities, usages, institutions and customs of Iran.
The principal activity of the Society is to hold a series of lectures on subjects connected with Iran, its peoples, and culture.
Travel grants are awarded to enable students from UK universities to further their studies in Iran or other Persianate countries on subjects deemed of interest to members.
Membership of the Society is open to all those with an interest in Iran. The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and consider that the activities of the charity meet its charitable objects and provide a benefit to the public.
## **Achievements and performance**
Our speakers during 2024 included Nahid Assemi, Michael Zirinsky, Antony Wynn, Alan Dillon, Rowena Abdul Razak, Robert Steele, and Fuchsia Hart, who lectured members at our Christmas party on Fath-Ali Shah’s shrine patronage in early Qajar Iran.
During 2024, three travel grants for a total of £5,000 were awarded to university students to assist with Persian language studies and research into Shi’i hadith contradictions. A sum of £500 was granted to the National Trust to support the Persian Paradise exhibition at Sissinghurst, the former home of Harold Nicholson and Vita SackvilleWest, in particular a continuous screening of the film _Grass_ showing the Bakhtiari migration in 1922.
The membership of the Society is made up of Ordinary members (224), Student members (24) and Honorary and Life members (28), making a total of 276 members.
5
## **Financial review**
## **Trustees’ Responsibilities**
The Trustees are required by law to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure for the year. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently,
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent,
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements,
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue its activities.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, safeguarding the assets of the charity, and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Reserves Policies**
The Trustees have given special consideration to the level of reserves required to carry on the Society’s activities, and have determined to apply the following principles:
- that the annual programme of lectures, secretariat, printing, website and other routine expenditures should be covered by subscriptions and income from the Society’s investments,
- that the Rosemary Halsted bequest be used as directed to provide travel grants to university students,
- that other activities should be paid for by charging those attending, subject to the level of the Society's reserves.
## **Financial Report**
The Financial Statements show the Society’s financial position as at 31 December 2024. Total income for the year ended on that date was £11,749 (2023: £15,169). Total expenditure in the year was £15,901 (2023: £16,651). The result, excluding investment gains, was a deficit of £4,152, compared with a deficit of £1,482 recorded in the previous year. The value of the Society’s investments increased during the year by £4,264, or 3.4%. At 31 December 2024, the portfolio was valued at £129,964. The Society’s reserves at that date amounted to £139,236, of which £2,720 were classed as restricted funds. The Trustees consider that the financial position of the Society remains sound.
A C V WYNN _Chairman_
## **REPORT OF THE HONORARY EXAMINER TO THE MEMBERS OF THE IRAN SOCIETY ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
In my opinion, the Financial Statements on pages 7 - 12 give a true and fair view of the state of the Society’s affairs at 31 December 2024 and of its Expenditure over Income for the period ended on that date.
John Ingham, LLB, FCA
_Hon Examiner_
6
## **THE IRAN SOCIETY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Year ended 31 December 2024**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
|**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**Incoming resources from**
_Note 2_
**charitable activities**
**Investment income**
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**Charitable Activities**
_Note 3_
**Other expenditure**
_Note 3_
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES**
**TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS**
**GAINS/(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS**
_Note 6_
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**TOTAL**
**Year ended 31.12.2024**|
|---|---|
The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements.
7
## **THE IRAN SOCIETY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**Year ended 31 December 2024**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
|**FIXED ASSETS**
**Investments**
_Note 6_
**CURRENT ASSETS**
**Debtors**
_Note 7_
**Cash at bank**
**CREDITORS**
**Amounts falling due within 1 year**
_Note 8_
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**NET ASSETS**
_Note 9_
**FUNDS OF THE CHARITY**
_Note 10_
**Restricted Fund**
**General Fund**
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**31.12.2024**
31.12.2023
**£**
£
**129,964**
125,700
**1,130**
3,681
**9,475**
16,885
**10,605**
20,566
**(1,333)**
(7,142)
**9,272**
13,424
**139,236**
139,124
**2,720**
7,143
**136,516**
131,981
**139,236**
139,124|
|---|---|
The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements.
Approved by the Trustees on xx April 2025 and signed on their behalf by:-
**A C V Wynn** _Chairman_
**R M Mackenzie** _Hon Treasurer_
8
## **THE IRAN SOCIETY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Year ended 31 December 2024**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **1.1 Basis of accounting**
The Financial Statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the inclusion of fixed asset investments at market value, and in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the Statement of Recommended Practice FRS102 “Accounting and Reporting by Charities”, issued in January 2019. The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
## **1.2 Accounting period**
The Financial Statements cover the year 01 January to 31 December 2024.
Figures for the prior year covered the period from the date of registration of the charity on 24 October 2022 to 31 December 2023.
## **1.3 Transfer of undertaking**
On 01 January 2023, all the activities, assets and liabilities of The Iran Society (charity number 248678) were transferred to the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) called The Iran Society (charity number 1200807).
The Iran Society (charity number 248678) was merged into The Iran Society (charity number 1200807) with effect from 01 January 2023.
## **1.4 Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor.
## **1.5 Incoming resources**
Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities ('SoFA') when the charity becomes entitled to the resources, and the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Members' subscriptions are included in the SoFA when received.
## **1.6 Expenditure and liabilities**
Resources expended on charitable activities comprise the costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services.
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.
## **1.7 Fixed assets**
Investments held as fixed assets are revalued at mid-market value at the balance sheet date and the gain or loss taken to the SoFA.
9
## **Notes to the financial statements (cont)**
## **2 Analysis of incoming resources**
|**_Charitable activities_**
Membership subscriptions
Special events income
Royalties on book sales
**Analysis of resources expended**
**_Charitable activities_**
Lectures and other functions
Special events expenditure
Travel awards
Other grants
**_Other costs_**
Website
Other administration costs|**Year ended**
**31.12.2024**
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**||Period ended
31.12.2023
Total|
|---|---|---|---|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
5,703
-
**5,703**
2,060
-
**2,060**
-
-
**-**
7,763
-
**7,763**||£
5,484
5,404
144|
||||11,032|
|||||
||**Year ended**
**31.12.2024**
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**||Period ended
31.12.2023
Total|
||£
£
**£**
2,496
-
**2,496**
2,255
-
**2,255**
-
5,000
**5,000**
500
-
**500**
5,251
5,000
**10,251**
5,142
-
**5,142**
508
-
**508**
5,650
-
**5,650**||4,098
4,789
750
5,200|
||||**14,837**|
||||1,302
512|
||||**1,814**|
- **3 Analysis of resources expended**
## **4 Trustee Remuneration & Related Party Transactions**
No trustees received any remuneration during the period .
No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the period.
## **5 Taxation**
As a charity, The Iran Society is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or s256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.
10
## **Notes to the financial statements (cont)**
|**6**
**Investments**
_General Fund_
BP Plc
COIF Charities Global Equity Fund
M&G Fixed Interest 'Charibond' Fund
_Restricted Fund_
COIF Charities Global Equity Fund
Total investments at market value
_Reconciliation of investments_
Market value of investments at 01 January
Disposals
Net realised gains/(losses)
Net unrealised gains/(losses)
Market value of investments at 31 December
**7**
**Debtors and prepayments**
_Amounts falling due within one year_
Taxation - Gift Aid
Other debtors
Prepayments
**8**
**Creditors and accruals**
_Amounts falling due within one year_
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred income|**2024**
**£**
**9,821**
**114,089**
**3,334**
**127,244**
**2,720**
**129,964**
**2024**
**£**
**125,700**
**-**
**-**
**4,264**
**129,964**
**2024**
**£**
**924**
**-**
**206**
**1,130**
**2024**
**£**
**625**
**578**
**130**
**1,333**|2023
£
11,649
103,452
3,456|
|---|---|---|
|||118,557
7,143|
|||125,700|
|||2023
£
118,958
(7,322)
798
13,266|
|||125,700|
|||2023
£
894
2,587
200|
|||3,681|
|||2023
£
5,000
2,062
80|
|||7,142|
The charity did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties or any debts secured on assets of the charity during or at the end of the period.
11
## **Notes to the financial statements (cont)**
## **9 Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds**
|**Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds**||
|---|---|
|Investments
Current assets
Current liabilities
Net assets at 31 December 2023|**General Designated**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
127,244
2,720
**129,964**
10,605
-
**10,605**
(1,333)
-
**(1,333)**|
||136,516
2,720
**139,236**|
|**10 Movements in Funds**
_Restricted fund_
**Rosemary Halsted Fund**
Movements during the period
_General funds_
**General Fund**
Movements during the period
Total funds|**At**
**Incoming**
**Outgoing**
**Gains and**
**Trans-**
**At**
**31.12.2023**
**Resources**
**Resources**
**Losses**
**fers**
**31.12.2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
7,143
176
(5,000)
401
-
**2,720**|
|---|---|
||7,143
176
(5,000)
401
-
**2,720**|
||131,981
11,573
(10,901)
3,863
-
**136,516**|
||131,981
11,573
(10,901)
3,863
-
**136,516**|
|||
||139,124
11,749
(15,901)
4,264
-
**139,236**|
## _Purpose of restricted fund_
The Rosemary Halsted bequest was made to provide income for travel grants to students for research or visits to Iran.
12