Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎126r] (251/749)

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September 3, 1943.
Section IX 1 Q
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lE 5260/110/34] Copy No.
S/r R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—(Received 3?’d September.)
(No. 356.)
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. 34 for the period of the 17th to
23rd August, 1943, compiled by the military attache to this legation.
Tehran, ^th August, 1943.
Enclosure.
(Secret.)
Military Attache s Intelligence Summary No. 34 for the Period Yith to
ttrd August, 1943.
Persian A ffairs.
Political.
THE Prime Minister now considers that he can count on a majority in the
Majlis to give the Government a vote of confidence on the Xowbakht interpella
tion which is to be taken on the 24th August. But after that it is believed that
the Majlis intends to demand some changes in the Cabinet, and the continuance
of a majority in favour of the Prime Minister seems doubtful.
2. The arrest of the German agent, Franz Mayer, in Tehran by the British
security authorities has caused considerable alarm to those Persians who had
been plotting with him. Several of the more notorious among them have since
the arrest made attempts through third parties to ascertain from the legation
whether there is any evidence against them. Drastic action by the British
authorities is expected. In the press and elsewhere there is noticeable the
beginning of a realisation that it is time to give the Allies, particularly Americans
and British, some reason to think less badly of Persia.
3. Alarmed by information which they received from Persian as well as
British sources that German agents intended to try to destroy the railway, the
Persian Government has issued a proclamation announcing a reward of
50.000 rials for information leading to the arrest of any German in Persia without
the permission of the Persian Government. '
4. The weakness of their forces is obliging the Persian Government to
accept a situation in tribal areas which in the years before Reza Shah was a
constant cause of insecurity, resulting in loss of revenue and production and
hindering development. That situation was the existence of super-tribal chiefs
commanding the allegiance of powerful tribal confederations. Reza Shah
realised that no unification and no development of Persia were possible while
these chiefs were a law unto themselves in vast areas, and he removed them all.
To-day Morteza Quli Khan is again chief of all the Bakhtiari, and Khosrow is
to be chief of all the Qashgai-Ilkhanis in all but name. While the Persian forces
and the authority of the Persian Government remain as weak as they are,
collection .of revenue and of grain in the large areas they control are at the mercy
of those chiefs. And unless the Persian forces and the authority of the Central
Government are greatly strengthened, those parts of Persia dominated by the
tribes may lapse into the condition prevailing in 1910.
5 . In Summary No. 26/43, paragraph 3, reference was made to the arrival
in Persia from Iraq of a venerable Shia divine. Haji Agha Hussein Qumi. He
has visited Tehran and Meshed and has now returned to Tehran. Much has been
made of him during his visit, not only by those who respect his standing in
religion. He has been fawned on. flattered and encouraged by merchants,
politicians and others for their private ends. He is now embarrassing the Govern
ment by demands regarding the wearing of the veil and the administration of
Shrine endowments which would, if granted, tend to re-establish the power of the
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