Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎182v] (364/749)

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5. Casualties in the Gorgan earthquake (see Summary No. 15/44,
paragraph 5) were at first reported to be slight (two killed and four wounded),
though the destruction to buildings has been heavy. Subsequently, exposure to
wet weather has caused much sickness, chiefly pneumonia.
Elections.
6. Sheikh Abdullah Galledarian has been elected as a Deputy f° r ^-
Bandar Abbas. '
Persian Forces.
7. Sarlashgar Razmara (M.A. 243) has been appointed Chief of the
General Staff. The post had been vacant since the appointment of
Sarlashgar Riazi as Minister for Education on* the 26th March in Sa’ed’s
short-lived first Cabinet. The appointments of Commandant of the Officers’
Training College and Chief of the Shah’s Military Secretariat remain vacant.
Internal Security.
Isfahan.
8. There has been much unrest among mill workers in Isfahan for a long
period. This unrest is partly economic in origin, but is much more largely due
to the political rivalries of the Tudeh and anti-Tudeh parties, who squabble for
the support of the workers and the right to represent them. A fight between
these two parties occurred on the 18th April. Troops were used to restore order.
The mills have remained closed since that date. The absence of a Governor-
General (Bahrami resigned in early April) and of any clear-cut policy on the
part of Government are delaying the settlement of the dispute. General Qadr,
the General Officer Commanding Isfahan Division, who has for some time past
been advocating the establishment of a military governorship, is in Tehran. The
Under-Secretary for War stated on the 23rd April that Government did not
intend to appoint a military governor.
Mekran.
9. After a period of some weeks free from insecurity, a hold-up is reported
of a U.K.C.C. truck on the 13th April, 18 kilom. north of Zahidan, and of three
U.K.C.C. trucks on the 16th April, some 60 kilom. north of Zahidan. One child
was killed and one child and a driver were wounded. Tyres and personal effects
were stolen. The robbers are thought to be Baluchis, but there is strong evidence
of connivance on the part of the gendarmerie.
Ears.
10. The Qashgai’s northward migration continues, and has not, so far,
produced any widespread pillaging, highway robbery or clashes with troops.
Owing to the return of Nasir Khan’s two brothers to the tribe and the sobering
influence of their recent and first-hand knowledge of war-time Europe,
Nasir Khan may be reshaping his policy with regard to the elections
co-operation with Government and restraining his tribesmen from acts ot
brigandage.
Russian Affairs.
11 The second aeroplane on the recently started Tehran-Meshed air service
arrived in Meshed on the 12th April (see Summary No. 15/44, paragraph 15).
As on the first run, it carried only Russian and Persian passengeis. Ine
Persian Ministry for Foreign Affairs state that permission to start this service
has never been asked for by the Russians, though it is possible that the scheme
may have been mentioned to Soheily or, more likely, Qavam-es-Sultaneh during
12 His Maiesty’s Consul-General at Tabriz reports that there are signs of
a concerted plan to increase Russian influence in Tabriz. A Russian hospital
is to be opened for the local population, and schools are to f>e provided m
which the chief languages will be Russian and Turki I he lurki newspaper
Vatcm Yolinda has reappeared under the editorship of a Russian Armenian from
Baku with a large staff of Caucasians. Some semi-Communist propaganda is
bein 0, carried on in factories and some talk of a greater Azerbaijan oi a new
Caucasia is heard.
Tehran, ttrd Afril, 1944.