Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎104r] (207/749)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
SECRET.
•U^fcX
E 3458/110/34]
With the Compliments
of the
Under Secretary 0 f State
for Pcreige Affairs
fEl
2 9 JUN J9& 1943r fa 6
1
SectioJi 1. n 4 ^
3^^ I L? / ; 3
Copy No. J J 5
R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—{Received \§th June)
(No. 217.)
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. 22 for the period the 25th to
31st May, 1943, compiled by the military attache to this legation.
Tehran, ls£ June, 1943.
Enclosure.
£r
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 22 for the feriod ‘Xoth to 31s£ May,
1943.
(Secret.) —
Political.
Persian Affairs.
THE Prime Minister continues to sit uneasily. A remark by the Shah
to the effect that he held no brief for Soheily, but that the next incumbent might
be worse, and that, in any case, to change Prime Ministers during a critical period
was unsound, probably reflects the opinion of many Persians and accounts for
Soheily’s retention of his office.
2. Delegates representing the engineers and professors on strike recently
interviewed Dr. Millspaugh, but were disappointed on being told by him that
the state of the nation’s finances did not allow of an increase in pay at present.
The strike continues and it may now extend to other Government employees.
3. Some of the Tehran newspapers published a report that General
Shahbakhti had resigned from the army and that General Ahmedi had taken
over from him in Ears. They added, as a precautionary measure, that this report
had not been confirmed to date. It is obvious that this “ report ” was inspired
by Ahmedi’s ill-wishers, of whom, owing to his fearlessness, there are many, and
by Nasir Qashgai’s adherents in the capital. The obvious implication of the report
is that General Shahbakhti was too high-souled a patriot to become the instrument
of British hostility against the Qashgai, a role more suited to the Minister
for War.
Economic.
4. The Third Regulation for the Stabilisation of Prices is published as an
appendix to this summary. The first two regulations refer to powers and duties
and are not of sufficient importance to be reproduced here.
5 . The text of Dr. Millspaugh’s temporary rent restriction regulations is
given as Appendix 1 to this summary.
6 . Owing to the heavy loss to Government resulting from the sale of bread
to the public at the present price while wheat is purchased by Government at
3,000 rials per ton, it has been decided to increase the price of bread by 1 rial
per kilogramme. This increase has been sharply criticised in the press on the
^rounds that it was unjustified in view of the bumper harvest reported from all
districts, that it hits hardest the poor, who nowadays eat little but bread, and
that the enhancement in price of a staple diet must inevitably lead to a general
increase in all other living expenses.
Persian Army.
7. The film Desert Victory was shown to an audience of 500 Persian army
officers. It made an excellent impression.
A p'poin t m ents—MiU i ary.
8 . Sarhang Dadistan, to be Acting Chief of Staff to General Shahbakhti,
vice Sarhang Farrukh, deceased.
[42—47]
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