Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎268r] (535/749)

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Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. .12, Secret, for the Period the
lStth—25th March, 1945.— (Communicated in Tehran Despatch No. 92 of ' 6 .
26th March; Received in Foreign Office 6th April.)
Political.
Persian Affairs.
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1. Owing to the Nauruz holidays there has been little political activity in
the capital. Just before the holidays, representatives of the Majlis groups Mihan,
Mustagil, Democrat, aiid Ittihad-i-Milli had an audience of the Shah and
informed him of their discontent with the present Cabinet and their desire for
a change. They claimed to have the support of the majority of the Deputies.
It is still, however, uncertain whether the Prime Minister will resign. It is
understood that the Russians oppose a change at present, since the next Prime
Minister, who is unlikely to be the Russian favourite, Qavam es Sultaneh, might
be less amenable and more energetic—he oould hardly be less—in the interests
of Persia than Bayat. It is rumoured that the Shah at Russian instigation has
instructed the Prime Minister not to resign.
2. The account of the activities of the German organised Fifth Column in
Persia published in the local British paper, the Daily News (see Summary
No. 11/45, paragraph 6), has aroused a storm of criticism in the Persian press,
which angrily demands proof of the association of any important Persians with
German agents, denies the existence of any plot, maintains the innocence of the
majority of the Persians arrested and attributes the publicity given at this
juncture to alleged activities some two years old to a malevolent British design to
prejudice Persia’s standing at the San Francisco Conference and later at the
Peace Conference.
3. The following have been definitely selected to represent Persia at the
San Francisco Conference :—
Nasrullah Intezam : Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Mustafa Adi: Minister of Justice.
Dr. Siassi : Minister without Portfolio.
Hassan Taqizadeh : Ambassador to London.
Majid Ahi : Ambassador in Moscow.
It is understood that it is doubtful whether Taqizadeh will consent to go.
The delegation will be joined in Washington by the Persian Ambassador in
Washington, Muhammad Shayesteh, and the Persian Trade Representative in the
United States, Dr. Nasr.
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Economic.
4. In more responsible Persian circles anxiety is being created by the chaos
that is commonly said to have followed on the departure of Dr. Millspaugh and
the withdrawal of American control in the whole financial and economic adminis
tration of the Government. The Treasury is nearly empty; revenue is not coming-
in; salaries are in arrears; corruption is again rampant in the distribution of
rationed monopoly goods; and no plans have yet been made for the collection
of the coming harvest or to ensure a very necessary and justifiable (having regard
to the bumper harvest expected) reduction in the price of bread.
5. A recent survey of motor transport, owned privately or by the Govern
ment, available for civilian purposes in Persia, has resulted in the following
figures :—
Trucks of approximately 2\ tons capacity 3,757
Above 2^ tons ,, 1,941
Total 5,698
These figures include approximately 681 buses but no touring cars. They are
considered to be accurate within 10 per cent.
6. A Bill has been tabled by the Government to sanction the imposition of
a 3 per cent, increase on the price at which the Governmeut retails fnonopoly
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