Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎213v] (426/807)

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*7 7"
strength. Next in order will be the 9th and bth Divisions. The whole mobilisa
tion 18 to be completed within three months. It is not known what difference in
an^f 000 S ma ^ e total strengths, but possibly only between 3,000
^ v ) Artillery brigades are to be formed in each division. This is considered
impossible for lack of armament and horses.
q , ( v ) ^ ar ^ as hg ar (Major-General) Amin, late General Officer Commanding,
sth (Mekran) Division, has been appointed Inspector-General of Artillery.
(vi) An official dementi was published on the 2nd January denying that con
centration of Iranian troops had taken place on the northern frontier.
• ( vn ) Referen ce Intelligence Summary No. 25 (1939), paragraph 6 (i). Six
junior officers have been shot as a result of the finding of the recent court-martial.
( v m) ^ is reported that the military authorities are issuing rifles and
ammunition to certain sections of the Shahsavan tribe located in the mountainous
country between Ardebil and Tabriz.
* , (/ x ) divisions are to be formed in the Ardebil-Resht area or both at
Ardebil and Reslit, also at Kermanshah. The Gurgan Garrison is to be increased
} one bi igade. This may be correct, as French sources state that provisions have
been made m army estimates for 1940-41 for an increase in army strength by
two divisions and one cavalry brigade. ° J
(x) From the beginning of January the General Officer Resht (Independent)
brigade, accompanied by civilian officials of the Department of Roads and Com
munications, has been reconnoitring the roads north and north-west of Ardebil
(million sheet No. 8, square A 2).
4. Air Raid Precautions.
No arrangements for civil A R P. have yet been made in any of the cities
or towns of Iran. J
5. Iranian State Railways.
An official notice issued by the Railway Administration, states that the line
'iffinl' daniI'ar'y 11 ]?)4() KereJ W1 be ° Pei1 f ° r P assen S er and goods traffic from the
6. Polish Interests.
His Excellency M. Jan Karszo Siedlewski, the Polish Minister to Iran Iraq
and Afghanistan accompanied by M. Bronislow Tetalycki, left Tehran for New
J Jelhi on the 6th January, travelling via Meshed, Zahidan and Quetta.
to enter Xf^haffistaiT 6 ™ 1116114 haVe ’ however ’ refused the Polish Minister a visa
7. Swedish Interests.
The fifty batteries (four guns each) of Bofors 75-mm. mountain guns ordered
Sweden ranian Governraent a y ear a g° are now awaiting shipment to Iran from
8. Turkish Interests.
On receipt of the news of the Anatolian earthquake immediate telegrams of
sympathy were sent to the Turkish President by His Imperial Maiesty the Shah
the Prime Minister, the President of the Majlis and the Minister for Foreign
Affairs. His Imperial Majesty the Shah sent a donation of £10,000 (Turkish)
through the Imperial Bank of Iran to the Turkish Government and a public
subscription list has been opened by the Lion and Red Sun Society.
9. French Interests.
On the 13th January his Excellency M. Jean Helleu, the new French
Minister, presented his letters of credence to His Imperial Maiesty the Shah at
the Gulistan Palace.
M. Helleu was formerlly Minister at Tallinn. The Shah received the French
Minister cordially, and again repeated his request that Iranian goods should be
allowed shipment to Iran.