Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎161v] (322/749)

2
to. The Persian Government is to inform the Russians that the Persian army
cannot at present find more than 100-150 officers and other ranks of a type
suitable to undergo training in each regiment. According to a statement made
by the Shah to a reliable informant, the tanks are 28-tonners. These will not only
be a useless encumbrance to the Persian army, but are likely to be expensive toys.
The above information should be treated for the present as most secret.
5. The Shah recently paid a visit of inspection to the Mechanised Brigade^^^
This brigade has been a bone of contention for some time between him and
American advisers. The latter rightly regard it as a useless expense in present
circumstances and recommended its disbandment. The Shah, on the other hand,
wishes to expand it by the addition of armoured cars (which he has not got) and
mechanised infantry. Its present constitution is—
One anti-aircraft artillery regiment of eight 75-mm. Bofors A.A. guns.
One battalion of four searchlights.
One mixed artillery regiment of—
Eight 105-mm. long Skoda guns.
Four 150-mm. long Skoda guns.
Four 150-mm. short Skoda guns.
One battalion of anti-aircraft machine guns of 18, 15-mm. Besa
machine guns.
6. At the annual ceremony for the presentation by the Shah of epaulettes
to first-year cadets of the Military School the commandant announced that there
were 336 cadets in the school.
Police.
7. Mr. Timmerman, the American Director-General of Police, who has for
some time been criticised in private, has recently been subjected to some criticism
in the press. The number of thefts, assaults and robberies with violence in
Tehran has been increasing, and Mr. Timmerman, who has powers that carry
responsibility, is being accused of laxness in his task of reorganising the police.
In an interview given to the press he stated that on the present wages of
1,000 rials a month it was impossible to obtain recruits for the police force; that
in Tehran alone there was a deficiency of 800 constables; that the police force
was seriously deficient in means of communication and means of rapid locomotion,
and that he had demanded jeeps, motor cycles and telephones from the United
States, so far without success. He went on to say that one of the greatest
handicaps to the suppression of crime was the extreme leniency of the courts.
He had also during the eight months of his official work in Persia had to deal
with two Prime Ministers, seven Ministers of the Interior and three chiefs of
police. Each change had meant that he had to get agreement all over again for
his proposals.
A 'ppointments — Military.
8. —(i) Sarhang Gulshayan to command the 5th (Luristan and Kermanshah)
Division vice Sartip Iravani, recalled.
(ii) Sarhang Hoshmand Afshar to command the 4th (Kurdistan) Division
vice Sarhang Gulshayan, transferred.
(iii) Sarhang Deihimi to be Chief of Staff of the Southern Forces vice
Sarhang Muqbeli, relieved.
(iv) Sarhang Siassi to be Head of the 2nd Bureau General Staff vice Sarhang
Deihimi.
(v) Sarlashgar Ali Asghar Naqdi (M.A. 196) to be Director of Conscription
-vice Sartip Khosrow Panah, relieved.
Internal Security.
9. Tribal areas remain quiet. In Pars the main interest centres around the
elections and Nasir Qashgai’s manoeuvres to secure the election of candidates
favourable to himself. He is endeavouring, by the expenditure of money and
hints of his nuisance value to merchants and landowners, to persuade the people
of Shiraz to elect him from that town. In this he has two objects : one to prove
that he has influence outside the Qashgai tribe; the other, to make sure of the
election of at least two Qashgai candidates, since no one disapproved of by the
Qashgai is likely to get elected from Firuzabad. The Shah has, however, sent
orders to General Jahanbani that he is to prevent at all costs the election of