Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎367r] (733/807)

J he total strength, including recruits and services, is 86,000. The cost is
nearly 900 million rials. The Minister of Finance has, however, budgeted for
600 million rials only, and if this is maintained, as is probable, the strength will
have to be reduced to between 50,000 and 60,000. It is not yet known what
l^iumbers the Russians will accept in their areas. The Soviet Government has
^^cepted in principle the right of the Persian Government to locate their troops
as necessary for the maintenance of security.
A governing factor in the strength and dispositions of the Persian forces is
its lack of transport and consequent loss of mobility.
A War Office commission is now visiting the Fars and Kerman Divisions to
initiate the new organisation.
Conscription is to be maintained for the present as higher pay than can be
afforded would have to be offered to secure voluntary recruits. There is
, considerable public feeling against conscription, which is, however, not likely to
find effective expression until security is on a firmer basis than at present. There
is general anxiety about the spring, when it is feared there may be tribal unrest
leading at least to brigandage. If the authority of the Central Government is
re-established and order restored, then the opposition to conscription and the
demand for the reduction of the army to the minimum essential will probably be
more plainly heard. Meanwhile, efforts are being made by the War Office to
eliminate the worst abuses of conscription. Theoretically, it has been removed
from the control of divisional commanders, to whom it was a considerable source
of profit, and is now controlled by an independent commission.
The main lines of military policy are directed by the Higher Military
Council, which meets twice a week and is usually presided over by the Shah
himself. It consists of the Minister for War, the Chief of the General Staff,
the three army inspectors (Generals Shahbakhte, Ahmadi and Jahanbani) and
the financial officer of the War Office. Colonel Alai. The Minister for War and
the Chief of Staff visit the Shah almost daily.
A column of Persian troops left Tehran on the 21st February under the
command of Colonel Ahmad Janpulad, for the Khalkhal countrv (Eastern
Azerbaijan). Small columns have also visited Quchan and Bujnurd. The column
consisted of two battalions of infantry and a battery of artillery.
Internal Security.
5. Khorassan.
Minor cleaning-up operations are in progress in Northern Khorassan, but
Soulat-es-Sultaneh has not yet been captured. Farajollah Picharanlou, the
leader of the Kurds of the Bujnurd-Quchan area, who had raised an incipient
revolt, has submitted to a column of Persian troops which had been detached from
the forces at Meshed. This operation was not objected to by the Russians,
although it is well inside the area occupied by their troops.
6. Azerbaijan.
The despatch of Persian troops to Eastern Azerbaijan (see paragraph 4
above) should have a good effect on that part of the province, and should prove a
discouragement to those secessionists who were claiming to have Soviet support.
If the Soviet authorities agree to the despatch of Persian troops to Urumieh
(Rezaieh), Kurdish pretensions to Soviet support will lose much force. The
situation at Rezaieh and Sauj Bulagh is now reported to be calm, largely due
to the influence of Qazi Mohamed (see Summary No. 6, paragraph 8).
7. Khuzistan.
The Bani Turuf threatened a revolt to recover lands of which they had been
deprived in Reza Shah’s reign. The disturbance was, however, quickly quietened
by the prompt action of the Persian authorities without fighting as far as is
known at present.
Russian Affairs.
8. A party of four Russian military officers, accompanied by some
non-commissioned officers, has reached Bandar Abbas after visiting other places
in South-East Persia. Their nominal object is to advise on measures for the
suppression of locusts. One hundred Russian soldiers, accompanied by eight