Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎355v] (710/807)

2
continual obstruction on the part of the Soviet officials. Agitators and even
murderers arrested by the Persian police have been demanded by the Soviet
officials and released by them. The Governor was ordered to return to their
owners arms he had taken from Kurds and Assyrians and was forbidden to
disarm others coming into the town, as they were “ guests ” of the Russi a^
Russian troops stood by while police and gendarmes were attacked, and in s^^V
cases killed. Although the Nijat Committee consists of Kurds, Assyrians and
Armenians, he considers that the two latter are receiving more attention from
the Russians than the Kurds. The committee was terrorising the inhabitants of
Urumieh and was living on robbery. His Majesty’s Consul at Tabriz reports
that about 1,000 refugees have arrived there from Urumieh.
8. The Chief of the Gendarmerie in Azerbai jan has also arrived in Tehran.
He confirmed that Persian Government authority has disappeared from the
Khalkhal country. A man called Mohamed Taghi, Amir Ahmadi, the son of
the late Amir Ashair of these parts, had set himself up in Hirabad (see Summarv
No. 3, paragraph 6). v j
The Chief of the Gendarmerie said that he had been forbidden by the
Russians to use his force for the collection of revenue, and had been told that
he must not retain with his force certain machine guns which he had recovered
but must send them to Tehran.
Khorassan.
9. In Khorassan a certain Soulat-es-Sultaneh, a Hazara notable, exiled for
some years in Pars, has declared himself in opposition to the Persian Government.
With about 200-250 followers he has set himself up in Turbat Sheikh Jam,
having disarmed the police and gendarmerie, and has issued a printed proclama-
tiop in Meshed and elsewhere calling on the people of Khorassan to join him in
defending their rights against the Persian Government. The Persian authorities
consider his activities are the result of Russian instigation. The War Office do
not take him very seriously. The Russian authorities have agreed to their
sending troops to Meshed.
10. A raid by Baluchis was made on the village of Qaumabad, 4 miles
south-east of Shusp, in which an Indian trader and a Persian colonel, who
happened to have halted there, were killed. The robbers carried off sixteen camel-
loads of loot.
Fars.
11. It was noted in Intelligence Summary No. 2, paragraph 10, that Nasir
Qashgai was endeavouring to establish himself as head of the tribe. He has now
telegraphed to the press in Tehran that he has been asked by the tribe to
represent their claims for—
(i) Compensation for their sufferings and losses of the last twenty years.
(ii) The right to elect a Deputy of their own.
(iii) A revision of taxation.
Kurdistan and Kermanshah.
12. Severe winter conditions have limited activities of all concerned in
these areas.
Polish Interests.
13. The Persian Government had been informed of the intention to evacuate
a number of Poles through Persia and, not unexpectedly, this was soon publicly
known. Questions were asked in the Majlis to which indefinite answers were
given, but a day or so later a statement appeared in the press that 25,000 Poles,
who were not required in Russia, were to be evacuated through Persia to the
Mid-East.
14. There is as yet no indication from the Soviet authorities as to when
these Poles may be expected to arrive, nor have they yet signified their acceptance
v of the proposals regarding the routes of their arrival.