Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎290r] (579/807)

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The Minister of Finance is again authorised to pay from State reserves
£2 million for army requirements and £1 million for railways.
5. British Interests.
Reference Intelligence Summary No. 5 (current), paragraph 4 (i). General
Nakhchevan. in an interview with the British Military Attache, stated that he
had twice during the past five months warned Messrs. Hawkers Aircraft
Company and the Iranian Air Attache in London that, if raw materials could
not be supplied for the manufacture of “ Hurricane ” machines at Doshantappeh
Aircraft Factory An East India Company trading post. , then the Iranian air authorities would regretfully have to
reduce the British personnel. If there was any hope of delivery of raw material
to keep the factory An East India Company trading post. in production, then there would be no question of any British
mechanics being discharged.
6 . U.S.S.R. Interests.
(i) On the 10th March, at the Cinema Tehran, and for the second time within
twelve months, his Excellency the Soviet Ambassador invited the Diplomatic
Corps and high Iranian Government oificials to see Soviet films. The film shown
was “ Tchapaiev,” but a long propaganda film showing a review of the Red army
was exhibited first.
(ii) According to the Iranian press, the Soviet Government have promised to
supply 50,000 tons of wheat to Iran.
(iii) Colonel Alexandrov, the Soviet Military Attache, was specially invited
to and attended H.I.M. the Shah’s banquet to his officers at the Officers’ Club of
Tehran on the evening of the 21st February. This is the first occasion on which
a foreign military attache other than the Turk has been so honoured.
(iv) It is reported that—
( 1 ) The frontier road running from Julfa (M.S.1.B.2) to Lenkoran
(M.S.8.A.2) is being remetalled and put into a good state of repair.
The bridges are, however, said to be weak and only capable of bearing
7 tons.
(2) Work on the Baku-Ordubad-Julfa railway line has continued throughout
the winter. The line has been completed up to 15 kilom. east of
Ordubad (45 kilom. from Julfa). It is expected to be open to traffic
in May 1941.
(3) A new branch line Alyat (M.S.B.B.l)-Astrakhanka-Lenkoran (M.S.8.A.2)
is being constructed. The majority of the labourers are Poles and
Balts.
(4) A good and improved motor road is said to exist between Baku-Alyat-
Salyani (M.S. 8 .A.l)-Lenkoran-Astara (M.S.8.A.2), and another from
Alyat-Astrakhanka to Lenkoran.
( 5 ) It is reported that there are in the South Caucasus military area opposite
the Turkish and Iranian frontiers five infantry divisions and four
cavalry divisions, and an armoured-car brigade. In the North
Caucasus military area it is reported that there are four infantry
divisions and four cavalry divisions. Besides this, six new infantry
divisions are being formed at Grozni-Mahajkaleh-Darband-
Orjonikitse-Boknowaka (?)-Marizdoka (?).
7. Czech Interests.
(i) Reference Intelligence Summary No. 3, paragraph 6 (i). The Royal
Iraqi Legation in Tehran have now been authorised to issue transit visas to all
Czechs and Polish subjects (non-Jews) proceeding to Palestine on military
service. This has caused great satisfaction among the Czech community.
(ii) M. Josef Vrba has left Iran for Palestine (see Intelligence Summary
No. 3, paragraph 6 (iii)).
8 . Italian Interests.
Reference Intelligence Summary No. 3 (current), paragraph 7. The Iranian
press again complains about the attitude of the Italian Government in refusing
to allow the neutral ship Eureka to proceed from Aden to the port of Assab to
take over the cargo of steamship Arabia (Lloyd Triestino). The press states that
compensation will be claimed from the Italian Government.
As Assab has been subjected to frequent bombing raids by the R.A.F., it is
possible that the goods have been damaged.