Coll 28/111 ‘Persia. Kermanshah – Political diaries.’ [‎350r] (702/751)

a further noticeable deterijLoratip^XiiL^S^'Staiiclard of administration
and security (c.f. paras 19 and 20 below). Russia^ gRXK entry into
the war against Japan passed almost without comment, most Persians
having long ago lost interest in the Far Eastern struggle, about the
ultimate issue of which they were in no doubt. A few did remark
pessimistically that it put an end to their hopes of a split between
the Russians and the Anglo-Americans but the confirmed optimists
thou^nt tnat the split would still come over the division of the
Asiatic spoils. The Japanese surrender following so soon after rtussia’s
declaration of war was also received with singular lack of interest
and had no appreciable effect either economically or politically
except to sharpen speculation regarding the prospects of the depart
ure of Allied troops from Iran. No Persian, either official or non
official, gave any parties or receptions to mark the end of hostilities
and there was absolutley no sign of public rejoicing or holiday -
making.
LOCAL GOVERilMFhT:
2. At long last a new Ustandar has been appointed for the
Vth Ustan: Aqa Fathullah Khan KALANTARI, who has been serving as a
Director-General in the Ministry of Interior and was formerly in the
Ministry of Justice. He arrived on 19th August and spent the rest of
the month meeting local officials and personalities and studying the
problems of his new province, which he discussed at great length
with H.M. Consul when first calls were exchanged. He had taken few
decisions before the end of the month but planned to go on a tour to
Shahabad, Ilam and Q&sr-i-Shirin early in September and make his
recommendations personally to the Prime Minister.
3. Another appointment long vacant, that of Farmandar of
SHAHABAD, has also been filled by the appointment of KHUSRU QUBADIAN,
brother of ABBAS QUBADIAN(AMIR MAKHSUS), Majlis# deputy for Kermanshah
and former chief of the Kalhur tribe. There is every reason to believe
that the Prime Minister made this appointment^ against his better
judgment and without consulting or informing H.M. Embassy, on the
insistence of Abbas Qubadian whose votq was necessary to reinforce his
extremely slender majority in tne Majlis#. For the effects of this
appointment see para 14 below.
Following a dispute with Aqa Ma'qul, Director of the
Department of Justice at rvermanshah, Colonel MUKRI has been relieved
of his appointment as Farmandar of Ilarn, This post he had held before
the Allied troops entered Persia and he had continued to rule PUSHT-
i-KUH very much as a military dictator after the fashion of neza Shah’s
regime. All accounts agreed, however, that he kept excellent order in
his remote and turbulent district and ruled it well without the use
of armed force,,of which indeed he had practically none at his
disposal. His successor is ABUL HASSAN SBPEHR who arrived in Kermanshah
on August 28th from Tehran. He is the son of LISAN SEPEHR, Inspector-
General of the Ministry of Interior, and is apparently without any
experience whatsoever of executive administration though he has served
for a time in the Min J "ry of Interior in Tehran. He left Kermanshah
for ILAM early in.Sep ber.
/5