Coll 28/97(2) ‘Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎96r] (191/252)

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I
£ /.
According to the G-ovornor of the Bakhtiari, press reports that it is o
intended to join Isfahan by road with the oilfields are incctrect. !b ; ^0
12. Road - Meshed - Zahidan.
H.I.Vice-Consul, Meshed, who travelled to Zahidan via Firjand
during January, reports that the road is in fair condition, not having
deteriorated to the same extent as other roads surfaced by our forces
during the war. This is probably largely due to the relatively light
traffic over the route.
13* Road - Isfahan - Kerman.
The road Isfahan - Kerman, via Nain and Yazd, when traversed
in December 'i 9MS was in good condition for most of its length. Though
there are the usual corrugations, common to almost all shingle surfaced roads i:
in Persia, they are not deep and fairly high speeds arc possible. The road
is generally wide enough for 2-way convoy traffic, but there are narrov/
stretches through a number of villages. Sand is inclined to blow across
the roa.d anywhere between Yazd and about 25 miles north of it, and over a
stretch a few miles south of Rafsinjan, and might at times interrupt
traffic. Petrol is obtainable from a pump at Tain and Yezd and in tins
in Anar, Rafsinj~". and Kerman.
ECONOlilC.
1A* 7 Year Plan.
Several more experts of Overseas Consultants and some English
experts, who are being co-opted, have arrived in Tehran. Dr Naficy, the
President of the provisional organisation for the 7 Year Plan resigned
towards the end of January and has been succeeded by Ahmad Hussain Adi.
Certain discussions on the Plan have taken pl8.ee with the Advisers, who are
also making preliminary visits to various parts of Persia, but the Plan has
not yet gone before the Majlis.
15* Imperial Bank.
Reference MA’s summary No.1 para 19* The Imperial Bank of
Iran’s concession reached the end of its 60 year term on 30th January,1949*
and from the.t date the Bank became subject to Iranian law in all respects.
The immediate effect of this change would be no more than to make the Bank
subject to Iranian taxes, since there arc at present no banking laws in the
country. Mr Ebtehaj, the Governor of the Bank Me Hi, Iran, has, hov/ever,
been urging the Iranian Government to enact legislation controlling the
activities of foreign banks and seems to have obtained the support of the
Minister of Finance for his proposals. The Imperial Bank consider that the
conditions which Ebtehaj wishes to impose would be quite unacceptable to
them and that if they became law, the Bank would cease business in Persia.
Discussions continue. The Bank has suggested that it should change its
name and be called "The British Bank in Iran and the Middle East".
APPO INTfrUHT S.
16 . Military (i) Colonel Mir Jehangiri took over command of the 15th
Infantry Regiment at Shiraz on 16 th December,1948.
(ii) Colonel Mahidi Sepahpur was appointed Commander of the
Persian Air Force during January in succession to
Briagdier Muhanna (M.A.117) who tendered his resig
nation largely owing, it is believed, to frustration
from higher authority. Colonel Sepahpur has
recently returned from a course in France.
British Embassy,
Tehran.
9th February, 1949*