Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎54v] (108/749)

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the crisis that has arisen at intervals each time that Majlis sanction had to be
demanded for further issues of currency—crises that have shaken the Government
and aroused' great public excitement. It will not, however, restore public
confidence in the currency nor allay fears of continuing inflation.
Economic.
5. The wheat situation, particularly as regards the capital, has slightly
improved. Supplies are now coming forward in small quantities from the Russian
zone, and the Soviet authorities have stated that they now propose to take not
more than 5,000 tons of wheat for themselves and that the remainder will be
available for Persian consumption. They do insist, however, on having
30,000 tons of rice, but say that they will take rice from the province of Gilan
only, the rice of Mazanderan being left for Persian Government needs.
A y/pointmentS' — Civil.
h- (i) Ismail Bahadur (M.A. 54), Governor of Kashan, to be Governor of
Bushire.
(ii) Morteza Sarmad, to be Director of the Anti-Hoarding Department.
Persian Forces.
7. The position of General Ridley (s ee. Summary No_ .44/42 paragraph 9)
still remains indefinite. He has as yet no official position, but is being given
facilities to investigate the conditions of the Persian army, and he has already
outlined certain proposals for reform.
A ppointments — Military.
8. —(i) Sartip Abdullah Hidayet, from Deputy Chief of the General Staff
to be Commandant of the Cadets’ School, vice Sartip Ansari.
(ii) Sartip Ghulam Ali Ansari (M.A. 28), to be attached to General Ridley.
Internal Security.
Azerbaijan.
9. His Majesty’s Consul-General at Tabriz reports that, owing to trouble
between the townspeople and the Kurds who now rule the district, the Soviet
authorities have agreed to the despatch to Mahabad (Sauj Bulagh) of a battalion
of Persian troops and a force of gendarmerie. It is not yet known whether the
Persian authorities have the troops available.
10. It is also reported that the Iraqi Pizhdar Kurds have agreed to leave
the town of Sardasht on condition that it is not occupied by their enemies, the
Mangurs (s ee Summary No. 44/ 42, paragraph 13).
Ears.
11. There is evidence that Nasir Qashgai and his brother Khosrow are in
considerable perturbation. This is probably due partly to recent Axis defeats
and partly to the knowledge of the discovery of the secret aerodrome in Nasir’s
territory (s ee Summary A r o. 46/42, para graph 12). Khosrow has arrived in
Shiraz, and he is reliably reported as having said that he intends to assure His
Majesty’s Consul of his intention to obey the orders of Government. One emissary
states that he has quarrelled with Nasir and intends to attach himself to the
British. This may be nothing more than a typical Qashgai ruse, but a general
inclination to veer away from Nasir may now be expected to be evident amon^
his supporters in Pars and Tehran. The Persian General Staff is still disinclined
to undertake operations against him. arguing that it would be unwise to do so
unless they had the transport to move reinforcements rapidly from Tehran should
the forces in Pars prove insufficient for the task.
12. His Majesty’s Consul-General at Bushire reports that brigandage is
becoming more prevalent in Dashtistan, four Persian caravans having recently
been robbed near Borasjun and Shahbankareh. The Tangistan and Dashti chiefs
are again growing truculent and are showing increasing opposition to the presence
of gendarmerie garrisons in their ports.