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s
Nasir from Shiraz and to tell him that he will be accepted as a candidate for
b iruzabad, the centre of his influence, only after he has handed over the Germans
and surrendered Persian Government arms in possession of the tribe.
Western Azerbaijan.
10. Kurdish chiefs of Western Azerbaijan were recently summoned to
^ th 0 Governor-General and admonished to keep the peace. The advice
the Governor-General was supported by the local Soviet authorities. There is
little disorder at present beyond occasional pillaging of villages, particularly by
the Jalali Kurds of the Maku district.
Russian Affairs.
11. Reports have been current in Tehran for some days of large increases
in Russian garrisons in North Persia and of the impending arrival in Qasvin of
several Russian general officers. No confirmation has yet been received of these
reports. The Russian authorities say that fresh troops have arrived in Persia,
but that they are in relief of the troops now here.
12. The elections in Tabriz are still in suspense owing to the continued
manoeuvres by the Russians to secure the election of their approved candidates.
His Majesty’s Consul-General considers that these candidates would have no
success in free elections against the candidates put up by the landed and merchant
classes, since Azerbaijan is still essentially conservative, but that, if the Russians
were really determined on the election of their nominees, they might be
successful, such is the fear of possible Russian reprisals. Azerbaijan still remains
without a Governor-General owing to Russian opposition to every official
suggested by the Persian Government.
13. Two prominent members of the Armenian Dashnak party have recently
been arrested in Tabriz, one by the Persian police at the request of the Russians,
the other by the Russians themselves.
14. The committee 'that was formed by the order of the Shah under the
presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of Sipahbod Amir Ahmadi for the collection of funds to relieve
distress in Russia has announced that no further collections are to be made and
that the committee will be dissolved as soon as the money collected and accounts
have been received from the provinces. See also Summary No. 2, paragraph 18.
Polish Affairs.
15. M. Henryk Strasburger, Polish Minister of State in the Middle East,
has arrived in Tehran on a visit to the Polish refugees.
Free French Affairs.
16. The report in paragraph 21 of Summary No. 2/44 that M. Pierre
Lafond has arrived in Tehran is premature.
Tehran, 30^ January, 1944.