Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎275r] (549/749)

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av 1, 1945.
Section 1.
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41
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 16 for the Period \§th April to
'22nd April, 1945, communicated in Tehran despatch No. 125 of 2%rd April
—(Received l,s‘£ May, 1945.) .
— io
Persian Affairs. K E .
Political. ^ v>
1 . Bayat’s Cabinet has fallen. The dismissal of Millspaugh gained him a
respite by pandering to the capitalists and crooks who stood to lose by economic
and financial stability. Some flirtations with the Tudeh earned him another
breathing space by placating the Left. The Xau Ruz holidays, the election of the
Majlis President, Presidential body and sub-committees, and a sitting suspended
out of respect to the late President of the United States served to postpone the
day of reckoning a little longer. A notice of interpellation of the Government by
Seyyid Zia-ud-din Tabatabai was only withdrawn on the understanding that on
the 17th April Bayat would address the Majlis on the subject of his Government’s
achievements and would ask for a vote of confidence. In the course of a very long
speech, which received a very mixed reception and during which he was
interrupted several times by shouts from the public gallery, the Prime Minister
gave an account of the Government’s position and its activities during its tenure
of office. This, he said, had been forced upon him by the spreading of false
rumours about the Government by certain people, rumours which had found their
way into the press. Instead of taxing the Government m open debate in the
Majlis those persons had spread unfavourable propaganda which had only resulted
in a weakening of the Central Government’s position. He had been ready to
answer his critics for some time past, but a necessary delay had been imposed by
the Nau Ruz holidays and the election of Majlis officials. He spoke of the
conditions under which his Government came into power and of the difficulties
which had arisen, especially over plans for internal reorganisation. The speed
with which the Millspaugh problem was settled came in for special mention, and
he stressed the fact that Millspaugh’s departure had done nothing to impair
relations between Persia and the United States. Persia’s relations with the
United States, one of her great Allies, were to-day, as always, based on established
principles and there had been no change in their friendship and mutual under
standing. In spite of rumours published by certain sections of the press, rumours
which were spread in the hope of creating disunity between Persia and the Great
Powers, the firm and full understanding with those Powers had not only been
safeguarded but confirmed and strengthened. He repeated statements made in
previous sessions of the Majlis about the rumoured arming of the tribes
and the formation of a Tribal Union, and denied that there was any
truth in the rumour that the Americans leaving Persia were destroying
all the installations they had built or that they were dismantling such
installations and shipping them out; no installation had ever been destroyed or
removed, and negotiations for the transfer of such material had already been
opened. He was happy to say that Persia’s foreign policy was clear and that a
perfect understanding with her Allies was enjoyed; any statement to the contrary
could only be attributed to those ill-intentioned persons who wished to stir up
troubled waters. It was the duty of all legislative powers in Persia and of the
Government to work in the closest collaboration to ensure Persia’s future in a
manner worthy of her ancient civilisation and historical prestige, and conforming
to the part played by Persia in the Allies' victory and the sacrifices she had borne.
Bayat concluded his speech by requesting the House to judge between his
Government and their opponents. A proposal made by Deputy Dashti that the
vote of confidence in the Government should be taken was approved. Of the
ninety-two members present only forty-five cast their votes in favour of Bayat,
with three against and forty-three abstentions. The Prime Minister thanked the
House and wished them success in the choice of a better Government.
His Imperial Majesty the Shah has sent a message to the Majlis urging them t:
lose no time in choosing a successor and putting an end
[65—37] r W9m m., Ihi PT
23 JUN 1 ( M'
INDIA