Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎223r] (445/749)

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Merivan areas Important chiefs, such as Suleiman Jaf and his two sons and the
chiefs of the Mangur, have visited the Persian commander at Baneh and
promised their co-operation against Hama Rashid, who had made himself
unpopular by his exactions. He had destroyed almost everything in Baneh
except the mosques before he fled. The people are gradually returning to their
homes. The Minister without Portfolio and one of the Kurdish Deputies in the
Majlis are due at Baneh on the 22nd October and they will distribute tea, sugar
and cloth which has been provided by the Government. The Persian General
Stall will be glad if a British official would visit the area to see conditions. Since
it seemed unlikely that the Iraqi Government would co-operate to the extent of
rounding up Hama Rashid and his followers if they remained in Iraq territory,
the Persian Government had had to decide to maintain garrisons of all arms m
Baneh and Merivan during the winter.
Khuzestan.
10 . Three columns of Persian troops are now moving to positions of
tactical importance on the outskirts of the Beni Turuf country preparatory to
a summons being given to the tribe to surrender its arms. If the summons is
obeyed the troops will take no action. The Beni Turuf Arabs are believed to
possess about 2,500 rifles, of which about 800 will be returned to them for their
own protection.
Kuh-i-Galu.
11. It is reported that all the Boir Ahmadi winter quarters are now
occupied by the opponents of Abdullah Zarghampur with the exception of Pili,
a^ rather important tactical point, which is occupied by Abdullah himself.
Khosrow, his brother and enemy, appealed for the assistance of Persian aircraft
to drive out Abdullah, but this request was refused. Relations between
Abdullah and Nasir Qashgai are reported to be deteriorating. Nasir is playing
for his own hand and Government approval.
Fars.
%
12. Nasir Qashgai has found that his position in Fars and his authority
in the Qashgai tribes are weakening. He has written to the Government to the
1 effect that, if it is desired that he and his brothers should maintain order in the
I tribe, he must be given material and moral support against' Kalantars of sub
tribes who are now questioning his authority. He suggests that one of his
brothers should live in Tehran and that, of himself and the others, one should
be with the tribe and one in Shiraz. The Government is in something^ of a
quandary. Qashgai lawlessness is increasing, whether instigated by Nasir or
not, but the Government forces are not yet ready to assume direct responsibility
for maintaining order in the tribe. To give Nasir official recognition and support
as being responsible for the behaviour of the whole tribe is tantamount to
recognising him as Ilkhani—a retrograde measure which the Persian Government
has been trying to avoid.
Russian Affairs.
13. A team of Soviet footballers is now in Tehran to play a series of
matches. Few personages, however important, have been so greatly feted or
been given so much publicity.
14. The Soviet exploration of South Persia, to which reference has been
made in previous summaries, continues. A party of Red Army officers has
recently been making investigations, of a nature not yet ascertained, in the
Zahidan area and along the Zahidan-Birjand road.
Tehran, ttnd October, 1944.