Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎34v] (68/749)

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mo „ t 6 ' j he Government has decided that landowners selling wheat to Govern
ment under obligation will receive the price officially fixed for the nurcha^ of
“ th ' ^»SS‘ r„
• /; i s understood that the Government’s policy as recrarric! thp k
paid for gram is likely to be considerably modified. The A IOC have alrerdv
been authorised to buy grain in Khuzestaii on Persian Government account at am
H 1 ? 1 may t 1 ® necessary to secure the maximum amount. This may solve
noiir J F m 111 P IJZe f a n, but it seems likely to draw wheat from other areas
nit’ "t f 3 * 8 ' Wlere ther ® ls already an estimated deficiency of 4,000 tons and
timately to aggravate the problem of distribution. Instructions are shortly to
be issued freeing the price of wheat on the western border in the hopeThat this
will put an end to smuggling into Iraq. When all the proprietors’ undertaking
to supply wheat to the Government at the fixed official price are completed it Is
wih be freed P " Ce ^ pUrchase b - v Government of any other whea P t available
8. The Prime Minister has sent a circular to all Governors-General
Governors and D,rectors of Finances in the Provinces which stresses the necessTtv
or the most energetic measures in the collection of grain, which is to be reo-ardeil
as the primary task of all. Government intends to use all the powers it possesses
to secure the gram to which it is entitled. Hoarders will be punished even with
HHes'., . P f S P nS to be buying on behalf of the British military autb 0 h
e q tr° ’ e r ai rested as the British military authorities are not buying arain
„„„ 9 ' HlS Majesty f L- 01181 ; 1 ^ German reports that the crop assessment for the
harvest 6 ^ n ° W C ° mp ete and shows an estima ted deficit of 3,500 tons before next
10. Government has raised the price of sugar by 2-50 rials a kilog. Loaf
thaf prLe° W ^ ^ S ° ft SUgar 10 a kil0g '’ but Httle is obtai n abl e at
H. The Anti-Hoarding Department appears to be showing some activity
and reports that it has discovered and impounded a quantity of hoarded drugs. ‘
A pyointments — Civil.
12.—(i) Hassan Vossuq (Vossuq-ed-Douleh) (F.O. 214, M.A. 296) to be
.rersian Ambassador m Angora. He is now in Switzerland
a u (ll) Muhammad Ali Feroughi (Zuka-ul-Mulk) (F.O. 71, M.A. 88) to be Persian
Ambassador m Washington. ’
*~JiTi7 , l^srullah Saba (Mukhtar-ul-Mulk) to be Director-General of the
Ministry of Finance, vice Loqman Nafisi.
(i') Majid Ahi (F.O. 5, M.A. 7), Persian Ambassador designate in Russia
has reached Kuibishev.
(v) The press reports that Hussein Ala (F.O.7, M.A. 11), now president of the
National Bank, is to be Minister of the Court.
(vi) The press reports that the Afghan Government has been asked to aoree
to the appointment of Soheily (F.O. 203, M.A. 283) as Persian Ambassado? in
Persian Forces.
!3. The Under-Secretary of State for War has stated that the Prime
Minister has persuaded the Shah to accept, with some reluctance the idea of an
American military mission for the Persian army. The argument said to have
been used was that this was the most effective step the Persian Government could
take to increase the confidence of the Allies in the Persian armv Another amu
ment probably used, with both the Shah and the Chief of the General Staff, who
has hithei to opposed a foreign mission, was that an American mission mUht
procure supplies from America for the Persian army.
The Under-Secretary of State for W ar was instructed to prepare an estimate
of the number of officers required. He considers that a minimum of three per
division, with four at headquarters, is necessary. For the seven divisions now
formed the total is twenty-five officers. A formal demand has not yet been
presented to the American Government. J