Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎346r] (691/807)

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^ THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY QljruK giClT A N K IC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT fu,o
PERSIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
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January 26, 1942.
Section 2.
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Copy No.
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R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—(Received January 26.)
(No. 8 .)
HIS Majesty’s representative presents his compliments to His Majesty’s
Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and has the honour to transmit
herewith a copy of Intelligence Summary No. 1 for the period the 30th December.
1941, to the 5th January, 1942, compiled by the military attache to this legation.
Tehran, January 6 , 1942.
L 2 n&ji 6 ~ 1^.0
Enclosure.
(Secret.)
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 1 for the Period December 30, 1941,
to January 5, 1942.
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Persian A ffairs.
THE treaty has passed the first reading in the Majlis. There has been
criticism, but on the whole there appears to be a feeling of relief to find on
consideration that the terms are not so bad as rumour had led the public to
anticipate. There has even been some effective defence of the treaty in the Majlis
and in the press. There is an increasing tendency to consider its potential
advantages to the State or the individual, and there are indications of a more
favourable sentiment towards the British. This is perhaps strengthened by t]ie
deep distrust of Russia, which finds increasing justification in Russian politidal
actions in northern provinces, more especially in Azerbaijan. The decrease in
hostile feeling is also largely due to the retreat of the Germans in Russia and
the consequent damage to the legend of German invincibility. The three months
for which Germans on leaving Persia had paid advance rent for their houses and
advance wages to their servants have passed, and the impression created by this
—to Persians—convincing action has been followed by a corresponding depression
among their sympathisers.
A fp ointment s.
2. —(i) Ali Mansour (164) (120) has been appointed Governor-Geperal of
Khorassan in place of Pakravan (208) (154). Ali Mansour was Prime Minister
in August of 1941. He is considered by some to be pro-German, but is of too
colourless a character to have any strong political convictions. It is not likely
that the Russians would accept him as Governor of Khorassan unless satisfied
of his innocuousness.
(ii) Mohamed Qaraguzlou to be Governor (“ Farmandar ") of Bandar Abbas.
(iii) Ali Asghar Itisam, now Governor of Maragheh, to be Governor of
Khoi.
(iv) Ismail Bahadur (54) (—) to be Governor of Maragheh.
(v) Rahmatullah Hushmand to be head of the Municipality and Governor of
Bushire.
(The first figures refer to Military Attache’s and second to Foreign Office
Personalities.)
3. The economic situation shows little improvement. The cost of living
goes up; prices of imported goods, in particular, are soaring in spite of the pro
hibition on export. There are still local shortages of wheat and sugar, due in
part to lack of transport, which in its turn is due to lack of tyres, of which there
is a critical shortage.
[26—11] b
[rECd. POL. EEPt. I
7 FEB 942
INDIA OFFICE The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. '