Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎24v] (48/749)

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3. The delay in the appointment of the Minister for War may be due to
disagreement between the Shah and the Prime Minister as to whether the
nominee should be a civilian or a military officer. The Prime Minister is believed
strongly to favour the former. It is some years since there has been a civilian
Minister for War. In the time of Reza Shah the Minister for War, whether
soldier or civilian, counted for little, the Shah issuing all orders concerning the
army direct to the Chief of the General Staff. Since the abdication there hm^li
been some confusion as to the spheres of responsibility of the Ministry for War
and the General Staff. The position has been tending to revert to that existing in
Reza Shah’s time, the present Shah issuing orders direct to the Chief of the
General Staff without reference to the Ministry for War, even on matters for
which the Minister is answerable to the Majlis. This has created dissatisfaction
in the Majlis and anxiety lest the army should again become the instrument of
an autocratic Shah. It is believed that it is the present Prime Minister’s
intention to endeavour to establish Cabinet control over the army and that he
has considered taking the portfolio himself.
4. Strong rumours have been current during the past week, which seem to
have been circulated by interested persons, that a disturbance amounting,
according to rumour, almost to rebellion, was to be created by Assyrians,
Armenians and the lower classes. These were said to have been armed and
encouraged by the Russians. Military patrols in Tehran were doubled and other
precautions taken. It is not clear whether the source of these rumours was Axis
agents or Persians who desire to see repressive action taken against the classes
who might revolt against the existing corruption in the governing classes.
5. On the 5th August was celebrated the anniversary of the granting of the
Constitution. The Shah broadcast a speech in which he extolled the benefits of
constitutional government and expressed his devotion to its principles. At the
same time he reminded his listeners that constitutional government imposed a
heavy responsibility on the individual.
Economic.
6. It is proposed to set up a transport board, on which there would be
Persian, British and American representatives, for the purpose of controlling
and developing Persian civil transport, particularly as regards the rationing and
distribution of tyres and petrol and the use of motor transport for purposes not.
essential to the economy of the country. f
7. The Anti-Hoarding Department has proclaimed that owners of tyres ^
must declare all their stocks within ten days. Any undeclared tyres or tubes
discovered after that date would lead to prosecution of the owner. Only persons
approved by the Tyre Distribution Department may hold tyres. All other stocks
must be surrendered.
8. The note issue up to the 30th July was 2,400 million rials, and notes in
circulation amounted to 2.059,739,960 rials.
A ointments — Civil.
9. —(i) Masud Vadad to be Farmandar of Rezaieh.
(ii) Mir Ali Zahir Humayun, the Farmandar of Bushire, has died.
Kurdistan. Internal Security.
10. The Persian Government proposes to make Amir Assad, until recently
Governor of Mahabad, Governor of the Saqqiz-Baneh area. A new Governor is
to be appointed for Mahabad. Hama Rashid is to be paid for maintaining order
in the Baneh area.
Bakhtiari.
11. Mr. Harris, Vice-Consul, Isfahan, accompanied by Dr. Griffiths, of the
C.M.S. Mission, and the latter’s 12-year-old son, was travelling from Isfahan
to Dorud (D.S. 9G, Sq. 07879). From Sehkuneh (D.S. 9G, Sq. P2493) the party
appears to have turned aside to see a crashed Soviet aeroplane which disappeared
some months ago on a flight from Basra to Tehran with nine passengers and was
recently reported to be lying on the slopes of the Ushturnan Kuh (D.S. 9G,
Sq. 09768). Information given by a servant who was with the party is that,
after visiting the ruins of "the machine, the party was ambushed on or about the
3rd August by tribesmen. Mr. Harris and Dr. Griffiths killed, and that the
son of the latter had disappeared. The tribesmen concerned are reported to be
of the Hiwudi section of Lurs. The district is a notoriously dangerous one and
is outside the limits of Bakhtiari proper.