Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎221r] (441/749)

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South Persia.
12 . 1 he downward migration of the tribes has begun, accompanied in the
case of the Qashgai, according to reports, by a good deal of levying of tribute
from villages. Some 500 families of the Darashuri sub-tribe of the Qashgai are
to remain for the winter in their summer quarters in the Semirum area. Whether
^t-his will lead to their permanent settlement in that area and be the beginning of
^H^e sedentarisation of the tribe is not yet known; but their presence in that area
~nould serve to check the Boir Ahmadi raiding that usually takes place when the
Qashgai leave their summer quarters.
Russian Affairs.
13. I he Soviet authorities are again demanding large quantities of rice
from the Persian Government, for which they offer to barter cotton piece-goods
and miscellaneous articles. In a similar transaction last year the Persian
Government lost heavily, but if they refuse to accommodate the Soviet authorities
this year the latter will obtain the rials to pay for the rice by selling piece-goods
; and other goods on the black market. The Soviet has already obtained rials by
selling at high prices on the black market sugar and tyres, commodities which
they obtain from the Allies on Lease-Lend. Needless to say no customs duty is
paid on any of the goods imported by the Soviet authorities for sale on the
Persian market.
14. Iransovtrans, the Russian transport organisation corresponding to the
U.K.C.C., have now ceased their commercial activities (see Summary No. 35/44,
paragraph 14) owing to a drop in freights which has made operation unprofitable.
Apart from any political intention they may have had in extending Soviet
organisations into South Persia, their main object was to obtain rials. The
vehicles used were either Lease-Lend trucks or vehicles hired from Persian owners.
They ignored all the rules of the Persian Road Transport Department.
15. His Majesty’s Consul-General in Azerbaijan, after a recent tour west
of Lake Rezaieh, reports that there is now much less evidence of Russian political
activity among the Kurds. The local Governor-General was positive that the
Russians were not now encouraging Kurdish lawlessness. This improvement may
be due to a change in the personnel of the Soviet Consulate at Rezaieh, the new
consul showing some evidence of a desire to be helpful to the Persian Adminis
tration. Three hundred Persian troops had been allowed to Maku to protect the
villages against Kurdish brigandage.
16. A Tudeh party demonstration took place in Rezaieh during the consul-
general’s visit. It was attended by some 2,500 people, mostly Assyrians and
Armenians, and was orderly and dull. The party claims to have 12,000-14,000
members in the Rezaieh area.
17. Some 2,000 Russian troops arrived in Meshed on the 7th October. See
also Summary No. 36/44, paragraph 8 , which reported the departure of a
considerable number of troops from Meshed for Russia.
Tehran, \5th October, 1944.