Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎207v] (414/807)

(vi) Between 300-400 Amnieh (Road Guards) have been discharged from
the Amnieh forces in Tehran and Qazvin districts.
(vii) Reports from Azerbaijan state the units of the 3rd (Rezaieh) Division
have now been withdrawn to their normal stations.
4. German Interests.
(i) Quantities of tea and coffee made up into small packages containing
about 100 grammes are being posted to Germany by individual Germans.
(ii) It is reliably reported that the crews (less care and maintenance parties)
of the five German Hansa Line steamers now lying at Bandar Shahpur are being
repatriated to Germany via Russia.
(iii) Germans recently arrived from the Fatherland use very violent language
against England. They are, however, still certain of victory. They state there
is an abundance of food in Germany except for butter. They do not believe the
attempt on Hitler had its origin in England, but put it down to the “ same people
whose traces you can see in Berlin after a black-out."
Complaints have been heard of the attitude of the Berlin people.
o. U.S.S.R. Interests.
(i) There is still little or no hope of a renewal of the trade agreement between
Iran and the Soviet.
(ii) An Iranian Mission consisting of two merchants and two officials of
the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, headed by M. Hamid Sayar, left for Moscow
on the 12th December. It is said that they are a delegation to the Agricultural
Exhibition in Moscow.
(iii) There is considerable unrest in Soviet Turkestan. A general officer of
the Red army endeavoured to escape into Khorasan recently but was recaptured
near an Iranian post some distance over the frontier.
(iv) The French report the departure from Tehran for Meshed or
Afghanistan of several known Ogpu agents.
(v) A report on the location of Soviet units in Turkestan is given as
Appendix “ A” to this Intelligence Summary.^)
(vi) A consular report from Zahidan states that a Russian named Kartashoff,
speaking fluent English and French, is on his way from the interior of Iran
to Zahidan, whence he intends to attempt to cross into India. The description
given tallies with that of Issac Kartachov, charge d’affaires and counsellor of
the Soviet Embassy, who mysteriously disappeared shortly after the arrival of
the new Soviet Ambassador, vide Intelligence Summary No. 21 (current), para
graph 7. Further details are awaited.
(vii) The French report that there has been an increase of Soviet troops
in the Astara area, which now total approximately two brigades.
Abnormal numbers of officers and men of the Red army are seen travelling
on the trains between Baku-Tiflis-Batum.
6. Internal Security.
(i) The political secret police are still active. Among the civilians arrested
are : —
The headmaster of the Industrial School (“ Deutsche Gewerbeschule "), Amir
Saham-ud-Din Ghaffari (Zuka-ed-Dowleh) (Military Attache’s Personalities,
No. 97—Foreign Office Personalities, No. 89). This individual is reputed to be
pro-German, but is also noted for his indiscreet criticisms of the present regime.
M. Flacoob, owner of the Famish Printing Press, who were apparently
engaged in printing German propaganda leaflets.
M. A. Sepehr (Muvarakh-ed-Dowleh), an old man.
M. Mohsin Qalhur, Deputy-Governor of Kermanshah, &c.
A number of military officers and military cadets have also been arrested,
one of whom, Reserve Lieutenant (Sitwan) Yaja Sayadi, committed suicide in
prison.
High military and police circles fear plotting, backed by the Soviets, against
the present regime.
(ii) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 23 (current), paragraph 6 (i).
Medical students have been offered 300 rials per mensem, plus the usual army
pay of rank, if they will join the Army Medical Service. Few have accepted
these conditions.
p) Not printed.