Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎260r] (519/749)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
SECRET.
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With the Compliments i
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March 7, 1945.
cf the
Under* Seocetai’y cf Stat6
for Foreign Affairs
Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—(Recewed 1th M arch .)
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(No. 55.) , —| q,] u i
HIS Majesty's representative presents his coniplmiW¥ts'.^.Hi&. i Majesty’s
Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and has the honour to transmit
herewith a copy of Intelligence Summary No. 8 for the period the 19th March
to 25th February, 1945, compiled by the military attache to this legation.
Tehran, ^th February, 1945.
(Secret.)
Enclosure.
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 8 for the Period \§th February
to ^bth February, 1945.
Persian A ffairs.
The Majlis.
1. The chief business has been :—
(i) The tabling by the Minister of Finance of a Bill empowering Govern
ment to return to their rightful owners lands and properties unlaw
fully confiscated from the tribes and other landowners. The wording
of the Bill is woolly and vague, and in its present form it is, like
most Persian legislation, quite impracticable.
(ii) Passing of the Bill to provide credits for the months of Bahman and
Isfand—21st January to the 21st March—(two-twelfths of the
budget).
(iii) The tabling by the Persian Prime Minister of two Bills to provide for
the formation of agricultural councils and for the development of
Persian agriculture. The text of the former has been received and
will be published is this summary when the Bill is passed. It looks
imposing enough on paper, but the lack of the necessary funds,
energy and knowledge will probably prevent its ever being of any
practical use.
Obituary.
2. By the death on the 24th February of Hassan Esfandiari Haji
Muhtashim-us-Saltaneh (F.0.99; M.A. 125) a notable landmark of modern
Persia has disappeared.
Appointments.
3. Sartip Gulshayan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, to be a Military
Governor of Tehran vice Sartip Kazim Shaibani. The reason for the change is
said to be Shaibani’s inactivity in general and his neglect of duty in particular
on the occasion of a riot at Muharram when he failed to visit the scene in person
and finally despatched a force so inadequate that it was overpowered by the crowd
and one soldier was killed. The incoming Military Governor, though pleasant
mannered and intelligent, is not remarkable for his energy.
Persian Army.
4. The Conscription Law continues to be debated and amended. One
criticism of the existing procedure seems justified. Owing to Government’s
temporary inability to enforce conscription in areas not under its control {i.e.,
the Russian occupied zone and the fringes of tribal territory where its writ no
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