Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎79r] (157/749)

COPY
;o» 42/11/43.
British Legation,
Tehran.
16 March 43
9 ^ 7
MILITARY ATTACHE’S INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY NO. 11
10 ~ 16 I4ARCH 1943.•
AEPAIRS.
Pc .tical.
G 4 o
« i j 4 o
i
1. While the Government cannot yet be said to have
established much conlidence that it is likely to be more stable
than its predecessors nor has the prime Minister yet shown that
he has acquired greater capacity to control the Press and the
deputies, the Cabinet does realise the urgent need for some
measures of social reform to counteract the growing agitation
among the lower classes in the towns and the effects of alleged
Russian propaganda, a bogey that lo »ms larger daily. To this
end it is proposing to give to Dr. Millspaugh extensive powers
to take measures to stabilise prices; it has introduced
legislation to prevent the forward purchase of crops by
speculators and is seeking advice for a programme to improve
the conditions oi' the lower classes. .hether any measures to
control prices in this e untry of corruption and lax adni istration
will be more than very limitelly effective is doubtful.
2. Active agitation in favour of the return to Persia of
Zeyyid Zia ed Din Tabatabai continues. It is said that it is
having some effect in convincing the lower classes that he can be
the saviour of Persia, but it is dou tful whether he yet commands xk
nearly enough support to give him a reasonable chance of being
a success as head of the administration. His supporters, however,
consider th .t by the end of April the ground will have been
sufficiently prepared to justify his return, provided it has been
possible to allay the Shah's suspicious.
3. The Tudeh Party (see Summary No.9/43, paragraph 4) has
been at some pai is recently to clear itself of tne accusation of
being under Russian influence and to assert that its aims and
methods are entirely constitutional and patriotic.
Icon mic.
4. The
250 million r
credit of 500
interest is o
Ministry of food has
.als for the purc&kue
million rials having
;ing shown by members
been given a further credit of
of foodstuffs, the previous
be^n exhausted. A lively
of the Majlis in the expenditure
of this latter sum and in a preliminary statement, the Minister
of Food said that 300 millions had been expended on cereals that
had been re-sold to the baxers, 100 millions on commodities
re-sold to the public and 100 millions on couimodities still in stock
He added that the Government had supplied 88 towns in Persia with
grain. J ^
5 # Consequent on the arrival of wheat from tne rersian
Gulf and of barley from Iraq, bread supplies in Tehran have been
/more
i/