Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎195r] (389/749)

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S- JUL 1944
June 20, 1944.
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Copy No.
Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—(Received 20?A June.)
(No. 250.)
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. 23 for the period of the 5 th to the
11 th June, 1944, compiled by the military attache to this legation.
Tehran, Ylth June, 1944.
(Secret.)
Enclosure.
Military A ttachEs Intelligence Summary No. 23 for the Period the oth June to
the llth June, 1944.
Persian Affairs.
Political.
IHh Court of Cassation came to a decision with unusual promptness in the
case of Reza Afshar, the Governor-General of Isfahan, whose appointment had
been the cause of an interpellation of the Government—see Summary No. 20 ,
1944, paragraph 1 . The decision was that his previous conviction debarred him
from being appointed to a Government post. He will now be recalled from
Isfahan.
2 . Certain of the Deputies from Azerbaijan, not including any of those
favoured by the Russians, have combined with the Democrat group of Deputies
to form a new group called Liberty, which will now have a membership of about
thirty.
Economic.
3. The sugar ration, in theory available at controlled prices, is to be
increased from 400 to 500 grammes per head per month.
Persian Forces.
4. The statements made by Dr. Millspaugh in his interview to the press—
see Summary No. 22, 1944, paragraph 9—called forth a reply from the Minister
of War, which was also published in the press. The Minister pertinently asks
what justification had Dr. Millspaugh, an employee of the Persian Government,
for discussing in the press the affairs of the army and gendarmerie, and for
creating public anxiety by his criticisms. The Government was well aware of the
need for army reform, but would it not have been better if Dr. Millspaugh had
consulted General Ridley before making his strictures. He had said that the
army was unnecessary and that the money spent on it could more usefully be used
for agriculture, education and hygiene. That was a matter for the' Persian
Government to decide, but did Dr. Millspaugh think that anything could be
done unless the army established and maintained security? Would not
Millspaugh do better to look to his own departments? The Price Stabilisation
section alone cost millions of rials and had done nothing to reduce prices. The
high cost of the army was entirely due to the bad administration of the country's
finances and economy.
5. A Cabinet meeting has been held to consider the budgets of the army,
the gendarmerie and the police. In addition to the Ministers it was attended by
the Chief of Staff, General Ridley, Colonel Schwarzkopf and Dr. Millspaugh.
General Ridley and Colonel Schwarzkopf justified the budgets they had prepared.
Dr. Millspaugh said he had calculated the maximum revenue of the countrv for
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