Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎358r] (715/749)

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A ppointments.
*<*• 7 Th ® a PP ointmentofM u r tezaQuliBayat (Foreign Office 47; Military
Ailairs 65) as (iCvernor-General of Azerbaijan, which had been announced in the
press some weeks ago, has now been confirmed. He was due to leave for Tabriz
by Russian plane on the 25th November but was held up by bad weather.
(n) Abdul Husein Ansari (Foreign Office 21 ; Military Affairs 29), a Director-
ueneral and head of the I ripartite Treaty Department in the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs, to be Governor-General of Gilan.
(iii) Husein Samii (Adib-us-Sultaneh) (Foreign Office 199; Military
Affairs 254) to be Governor-General of the 9 th Ustan (Khorasan).
A dministration.
8 . The Cabinet has cancelled its decree raising the status of Ardakan
sub-governorate to a governorate. It thus remains part of the “ Shahristan ”
of Yezd.
The Court.
9. Prince Ahmad Reza, fifth son of the late Reza Shah (by his third Queen
Ismet-ul-Muluk), has been betrothed to Miss Simin Bahrami, daughter of Husain
Bahrami, Ihya-us-Sultaneh (Military Affairs 59).
Internal Security.
A zerhaijan.
10. There is but little definite news from Azerbaijan itself as telegraphic
communications have been interrupted and the Persian army’s wireless telegraphy
links with Rezaieh, Miandoab, Khoi and Ardebil are not working. The General
Officer Commanding at Tabriz is still in touch with Tehran by wireless-telegraphy
but can give very scanty information. The intelligence organisation of the
Persian General Staff seems very inadequate and ill-trained and incapable
of checking the accuracy of any report which it receives. Actually very
few fresh events of major importance from the military point of view have
occurred in Azerbaijan since those reported in the last Intelligence Summary,
and the chief interest centres on Russian military movements around Tehran,
on what the Persian Government has done and will do in Tehran vis-d-vis the
Russians and what the Persian Government hopes the British and American
authorities will do to bring home to the Russians that their present actions are
at variance with their undertakings as signatories of the Tripartite Treaty.
11 . On the 14th November the Democratic party of Azerbaijan announced
in the press that the “ first phase of their organisation ” was complete, i.e., that
the Tabriz Committee and those in the smaller towns were in being, and that the
second phase, that of organisation of village councils, would begin. About the
same time it was announced that the party had decided to ignore the decision
of the Tehran Government to postpone the Majlis elections and that Azerbaijan,
under the leadership of the Democratic party, would proceed with the elections
both of the Majlis and of the provincial and town councils.
12. From information obtained from the Chief of General Staff and from
consular sources the situation, in brief, appears to be as follows :
Tabriz. —The town is quiet but apprehensive of future offensive action
by the Russians or the Democrat party, action which the Persian military
are probably incapable of resisting. The General Officer Commanding is in
touch with the Persian General Staff by wireless. Telegraphic com
munications between Tabriz and Zenjan, Tabriz and Rezaieh, Tabriz and
Astara, Tabriz and Kermanshah interrupted. Many merchants are leaving
for Tehran. The Democratic party has patrols checking all civilian move
ment and preventing all Persian military, gendarmerie and police movement
on all roads leading out of Tabriz.
Rezaieh. —Believed to be quiet, but no wireless communication exists.
Khoi. Believed to be quiet, but no wireless communication exists.
Azarshahr and Ajabshahr.—32 and 50 miles respectively south-west of
Tabriz, gendarme posts overpowered by Democrat rebels.
Maraqheh. —Persian Army garrison of one company, confined to
barracks and town in hands of rebels. Two thousand rifles said to have been
distributed by the Russians to the rebels.
[72—125] B 2