Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎193r] (385/749)

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PERSIA.
SECRET.
RTlf OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOYERNMENT
7
^6 JUN 1944
June 12, 1944.
Section 1.
Copy No. 1
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Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—(Received \2th June.)
(No. 240.)
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. 22 for the period the 29th May to
the 4th June, 1944, compiled by the military attache to this embassy.
Tehran, bth June, 1944.
Enclosure.
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 22 for the Period
2$tth May-Ath June, 1944.
(Secret.)
Political.
Persian Affairs.
NO solution has yet been found to the dispute between Dr. Millspaugh and
the Deputies. A proposal that he should surrender some of his powers to a
Ministry of Economy was rejected by Dr. Millspaugh on the grounds that
economic work was too closely associated with finance to allow of their separation,
and he flatly refused to accept any reduction of his powers. In a confidential
letter to the Government he answers some of the criticisms of his work. He points
out that the rate of increase in the cost of living has notably slowed down since
his arrival. He. claims that, in grain collection, bread distribution and the
procurement and distribution of monopoly goods, organisation and a settled policy
have replaced confusion. The plans for the distribution of monopoly goods were
only completed three months ago and were now in operation. The customs ware
houses, once clogged with goods, were now clear. Monopoly goods were being
moved in increasing quantities and were being distributed to people—villagers
and tribesmen—who had never previously received such goods. Energetic steps
were being taken in conjunction with M.E.S.C. to ensure that supplies will be
ample for distribution to all.
2 . The news that a letter had been addressed by the American Government
to the Persian Government on the subject of Dr. Millspaugh’s mission leaked out
to the press and the public. It was represented as being a warning that the
American Government would regard further criticism or opposition to the
American advisers as unfriendliness to the American Government. The press
worked up some indignation over this imagined interference in the internal affairs
of Persia and protested against what was purely an internal matter being
brought into the field of international relations. The text of the letter has not
been published. It is known that its sense was not as originally represented by
the Persian press, but was rather an expression of regret that the Persian Govern
ment had not defended more convincingly the American officials in their service.
That the question of Dr. Millspaugh’s powers is a matter for Persia alone to
decide and is not a matter in which any foreign Power can properly intervene has
been insisted on in the press and the Majlis.
3. The Cabinet is not happy. The Shah is reported to be discontented with
the Prime Minister, presumably because he is unwilling or unable to bring about
the results desired by the Shah. The latter is said to be looking about for a
successor and to be considering Qavam-es-Sultaneh and Hajhir, the present
Minister of the Interior. The latter has probably too pro-British a colour to be
acceptable to the Russians. His relations with the Prime Minister are now rather
strained, and this is attributed to the latter’s suspicions that Hajhir aspires to
his place.
[54—34]
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