Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎347r] (693/749)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
— - 5F~
PERSIA.
SECRET.
[E 8127/70/34]
With the Compliment*
of the
Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Affair*
October 27, 1945.
Section 1.
12 DLG 1945
1 4 > 9
Copy No.^- O <i
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 40, Secret, for the period %th Octo
ber to \4:th October, 1945.— {Communicated in Tehran Despatch No. 362
of 16th October; Received in Foreign Office, Tlth Qctober.)
Persian Affairs.
The Majlis.
THE only important business of the week has been the presentation of
a Bill to postpone the next elections till the evacuation of Persia by all Allied
troops is completed. Procedure of “ double urgency ” was sanctioned. The Bill
was then passed by a large majority. Some minor officials of the Majlis presi
dential body was elected. They were :—
Secretaries : Zulfiqari, Jawad Masuli, Hashimi and Dr. Mujtahidi.
Tellers : Afkhami, Hishmati and Mirat Isfandiari.
2. The Ministry of the Interior has addressed a circular to all Governors-
General and Governors which states that the present time is not ripe for the setting
up of provincial councils. Since the days of the second Majlis various laws have
been passed which in fact run counter to the original laws providing for these
councils. The centralisation of all governmental activities, which was such a
feature in Reza Shah’s dictatorial regime, has rendered the establishment of these
councils impractical without further legislation. It is obvious that, with all
this clamour for autonomy in Azerbaijan, it would be unwise for the Persian
Government to provide such a weapon for the separatists to use.
3. The Persian Government has announced the continuance of the ban on
the Mecca pilgrimage as their relations with the Saudi Arabian Government have
not been clarified.
4. The Cabinet has approved a proposal of the Ministry of the Interior that
the Governorates-General (ustandari) of Eastern and Western Azerbaijan should
be amalgamated.
A ppointments.
5. Mustafa Quli Khosrovi to be Governor of Sari and Deputy Governor-
General of Mazanderan.
Communications.
6. The cost of constructing the Mianeh-Tabriz railway extension has been
estimated at 50 million rials, and a Bill to authorise the necessary credit is to be
tabled in the Majlis shortly.
Internal Security.
A zerbaijan.
7. The Azerbaijan Democratic party concluded its first annual general
meeting on the 5th October. At one of the earlier meetings it passed a resolution
allowing the Persian Government one year within which it had to substitute
Turki for Persian in all schools. It also expressed its disapproval of the appoint
ment of Mehdi Farrukh as Governor-General of Azerbaijan and threatened
violence if he attempted to take up his duties. As a counterblast, four hundred
Azerbaijani notables have telegraphed to the Prime Minister to express their
disgust at the actions of a few unknown immigrants in claiming to represent the
population of Azerbaijan, and in despatching a telegram demanding autonomy
to the Foreign Secretaries’ conference while in session in London.
Khorasan.
8. The Tudeh party have recently turned their attention to students and
teachers. Had not the party lost much ground recently through exposure of their
aims, methods and Russian support, this latest investment would bring in a hand
some dividend. Badly paid teachers and disillusioned students unable to find
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