Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎77r] (153/749)

A?)
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
SECRET
With the Compliment*
of t he H
Under Sncretar'y of State
for Foreign Affairs
March 10, 1943.
Section I.
Copy No. 1 | 4
S 1 MAh 1943
Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—(Received March 10.)
(No. 85.)
HIS Majesty’s representative presents his compliments to His Majesty’s
Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and has the honour to transmit
herewith a copy of Intelligence Summary No. 9 for the period the 24th February
to 2nd March, compiled by the military attache to this legation.
Tehran, March 3. 1943. Jo:
Enclosure.
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 9 for the period February 24 to
March 2, 1943.
(Secret.)
Political.
Persian Affairs.
THE name of the Minister of Finance, Allahyar Saleh, was omitted from
A ^ dAthe list of the Cabinet given in paragraph 1 of Su mmary No. 8/43. •
2. The shortage of bread in the country in general and the capital in
particular overshadows all other questions in the deliberations of the Government.
• Hectored and lectured by the press and the Deputies on the need for immediate
and drastic action to bring down prices and to secure wheat from hoarders and
Allies, the Prime Minister, with no definite plan as to how either object is to
be achieved, finds himself in need of all the qualities of suppleness for which
he is famous. The press and the Deputies are in truculent mood. Questions have
been asked in Parliament about the arrest of General Zahidi and the press has
publicised an alleged assault by a British officer on a Persian official.
3. Anti-British feeling, as distinct from pro-Axis or anti-Ally, has been
much in evidence. In addition to famine conditions, a shortage of kerosene oil
for some days past has affected a large number of the poor of Tehran and has
aroused much bitterness against the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and against
the British, who are believed to control the means of transport. That Persian
people have to go short of their own oil is a useful and effective theme for hostile
propaganda, which has not failed to make use of it. The resulting increased
unpopularity of the British among the lower classes is a matter of some concern
to those Persians who have been seeing in closer collaboration with the British
the only defence against the spread of Russian influence. They, too, blame the
British for failing to remedy, if not for having brought about, the hardships
which are driving the people towards revolution.
4. According to the daily reports of the Persian police the Tudeh party, to
which reference was made in Summary No. 7/43, paragraph 3, has recently been
showing greatly increased activity. New cells are being formed, Socialist
literature is being distributed and propaganda with an extreme Left tendency
is being disseminated. Whether inspired by this or other sources, there is
nowadays among the poorer classes much favourable comment on Soviet ideas
and practice, accompanied very often by disparaging comparison with British
imperialism. Stories, without any foundation, of chivalrous Russian soldiers
intervening to protect Persians, often women, from lawless British soldiers are
in favour. Publicity of the economic assistance given by the British to Persia
is openly derided. Closed bakeries and oil shops have more effect than any poster.
Against this must, however, be set the good effect on the few of the charitable
work being done by Anglo-Persian relief committees which have been set up in
most provincial capitals.
5. In an effort to limit dishonesty, the Ministry of Finance, inspired by
Dr. Milspaugh, has issued orders that no purchases on Government account and
no sales of Government stores are to be made by other Ministries without previous
sanction of the Ministry of Finance. The Department of Supply is to be
reorganised, and when this has been done all purchases on Government account
will be made by that department.
v-yxi-
[39—45]
•SU. POL. DI PT.
' 5 APR ^43
IMPIA OFFICE