Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎196r] (391/749)

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paragraph 11 —and the retainers of Khajeh Mehdi Quli Moghui. A column of
a squadron of cavalry and two companies of infantry will operate from Ali Gudar
and two battalions of the Isfahan Division from Faridan.
X koraSa
Russian A (fairs.
At 12 . His Majesty’s Consul-General in Tabriz reports that there is now
^apparently a clear policy of posting Moslems from Soviet Azerbaijan to both civil
and military posts in Persian Azerbaijan. Most military officers in Tabriz are
now of that category, and a Moslim Vice-Consul has been posted to the Soviet
Consulate-General. The Soviet Azerbaijanis, like Soviet Armenians, are the most
fervent propagators of the expansion of Russian influence.
13. The operations of the Russian survey parties, which were reported in
Summary No. 19, 1944, paragraph 11 , have now extended to the Kal i shur River
(between Turbat i Haidan and Juimand) and to the hills south-west of Khaf
(I.41.G (1941)-N.1379). It is reported that geological survey, with a view to the
location of oil, forms part of the work of these survey parties.
14. A certain Sheikh Hussein Lenkorani is standing for election for the
constituency of Ardebil in Eastern Azerbaijan. He is a notorious intriguer,
agitator and mob orator frequently used by the Shah to work up disturbances
and demonstrations, and recently particularly to fan the agitation against
Seyyid Zia. It is noteworthy that his candidature is supported not only by the
Shah, but strongly by the Russians.
15. An extra assistant military attache, Lieutenant-Colonel Ivanov, has
arrived to join the staff of the Soviet Military Attache.
16. The Russians persist in their refusal to allow the Persian Government
to locate a regiment of infantry in the Mahabad district of Azerbaijan, as they
have long wished to do, although they are willing to agree to a maximum of a
battalion of 300.
Yugoslav Affairs.
17. A certain Colonel Mistrovitch is now in Tehran recruiting for
Marshal Tito among Yugoslavs resident in Persia. He works in the Soviet
Consulate and has so far recruited some fifty-sixty men, whom he is to take to
Russia. Colonel Lozitch, who was Yugoslav Military Attache in Moscow until
he declared for Tito, is also here, accompanied by a youth whom he introduced
as Tito’s son.
A merican A (fairs.
18. A Deputy, Dr. Shafaq, spoke at some length in the Majlis in eulogy of
America, Americans and American services to Persia. This had presumably the
object of allaying the irritation that might reasonably be expected to have been
caused to the American Embassy and the American Government by the scandalous
attacks on the American advisers. Among the reasons for which Persia would
be eternally grateful to America, he said, were the services of American
educationalists and of Morgan Shuster and Dr. Millspaugh during his previous
engagement with the Persian Government, and American support of Persia at
the Peace Conference after the last war.
Tehran, l\th June, 1944.