'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎204v] (413/610)

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No. 39. IMAM JUM’EH OF TEHRAN.
Born about 1870. He succeeded to the appointment after
the expulsion of his “Royalist” brother Mirza Abul Qasim,
the ex-imam Jum’eh, by the “Constitutionalists” in 1909.
He is‘wealthy, but has little influence and is lacking in
character. He does not mix with foreigners, was anti-Russian
but is believed to be an Anglophil.
No. 40. MIRZA SAIYID MUHAMMAD TABATABAI.
Bom about 1840. He was a prominent Constitutionalist
leader in the early days of the movement before the Shah’s
bombardment of the Majlis and coup d’etat of June 1908, but
is now (1920) a very old man and has retired from politics.
He is one of the most influential of Tehran Mujtahids.
His son Mirza Sadiq, born about 1880, was Vice-President
of the 2nd Majlis and at one time leader of the Itidali (Moderate)
party. He went with the Muhajirln from Tehran to Qum in
1915, and to Constantinople, where he became very hostile to
the Turks. He returned to Tehran with his former influence
greatly diminished. He has been elected a deputy for the Majlis.
He does not openly work against the British.
No. 41. SAIYID HASAN MUDARRIS.
t Born about 1860. He is of doubtful parentage but believed
to be the son of a shepherd of Qumisheh near Isfahan. He was
appointed a deputy of the 2nd Majlis of 1909-11. He is a great
intriguer and adventurer, often believed insane, opposes every
Government and is a focus for all malcontents.
In 1918 he was one of the leaders of the popular agitation
engineered against the anti-British Samsam-us-Sultaneh with the
object of bringing in Vusuq-ud-Dauleh as Premier. On that
occasion he took “ bast (Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location. ” at Shah Abdul Azim, and was the last
to leave the Sanctuary. He afterwards turned against Vusuq-
ud-Dauleh for not keeping him “ au fait” with political events,
and by trickery made great capital out of the Anglo-Persian
Convention of which he is a vehement opponent. The following
ruse accredited to him is at least illustrative of his methods.
By pre-arrangement an agent brought a sealed letter and deli
vered it to Mudarris ostentatiously before his audience, and,
when interrogated, declared the letter was addressed to him
from the British Legation. Mudarris thereupon replied in a
loud voice that he would accept no letters from the British
Legation, who must make any communication they desired with