Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎192r] (383/749)

3
Ml
Bakhtiari.
cpKiplaints have recently reached Tehran against the administra
tion ot Morteza Quh Khan, the Governor of Bakhtiari. While there is probably
some ground for these complaints, Morteza Quli being a Persian tribal chief,
t lere is no doubt that they have been greatly exaggerated, and that the agitation
is being encouraged by almost all the other Bakhtiari khans, who are annoyed
ggiith Morteza Quli Khan for various personal reasons, and may even attempt to
^Hstigate disturbances in Bakhtiari to discredit him. The probability of this
is not legai'ded as serious at present, the agitation, however, shows how wise
Keza Shah was to remove all important tribal khans from their tribes and even,
sometimes, from this world.
Russian Affairs.
12. M. Maximoff, until recently counsellor of the Soviet Embassy, has been
appointed ambassador. Previous to coming to Tehran as counsellor he had been
Soviet Consul-General in Meshed.
13. In Summary No. 16/44, paragraph 12 , it was reported that there were
signs of an intention on the part of the Soviet authorities to. increase their
influence in Persian Azarbaijan. The staff of the Soviet Consulate have recently
been provocatively interfering in internal affairs, big and small, even when they
were no concern of theirs. This, however, may be more the personal policy of
the acting consul-general, Marchenko, than a policy dictated "from above. His
annoyance at the difficulty he had experienced in securing the election for Tabriz
of even two of the Russian favourites was increased by subsequent pretests made
to the Supervising Committee against their election, and by the committee’s
decision to refuse to issue their credentials but to refer the matter to Tehran.
He threatened the Governor that, if the Supervising Committee did not cease its
hostility to the Russians, Azarbaijan as a whole would pay. The kurds could
pillage and the mob could riot for all the Russians would care. Much
propaganda is being made in favour of Soviet culture and Soviet systems. The
reappearance of the paper Vatan Yolinda, printed in Turki at the Russian
military press in Tabriz, was mentioned in Summary No. 16/44. It has recently
contained several articles extolling the benefits that have come to Russian
Azarbaijan from the Communist regime. Examples are appended to this
summary. The Russian hospital, which is to accept local civilians, is nearly
ready for opening, and search is still being made for a suitable building for the
Russian school, which, while its main purpose is officially said to be the^education
of Russian children in Tabriz, is also to accept local children.
American Affairs.
14. One of the Deputies has given notice of a question to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs pointing out that the presence of British and Russian troops in
Persia is governed by a treaty approved by the Majlis and asking by virtue of
what law are American troops stationed in Persia. This question has been
raised several times in press and Parliament since the arrival of American
troops.
15. Between the 5th and 13th May two contingents of American technical
troops, each of about 200, passed through Tabriz on their way to Russia.
16. Mr. Timmerman, American adviser to the Persian police, died suddenly
on the 20 th May.
British Affairs.
17. Four Indian members of the
Viceroy’s
Defence Committee visited
Tehran during the past week.
Polish Interests.
18. The number of civilian Poles in
Persia on
the 22nd May, 1944, was :—
Men.
Women.
Children.
Total.
In Tehran
461
1,455
511
2,427
In Isfahan
131
932
1,310
2.373
In Ahwaz
460
1,746
907
3,113
1,052
4,133
2,728
7,913
The total number of Poles
in Persia
in January 1943 was
21,691.
Tehran, 2Sth May, 1944.