Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎388v] (776/807)

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Motor Transport.
2. The following statistics of motor transport in Persia have been compiled
from U.K.C.C. sources : —
(A) Total number of civilian motor vehicles now under licence, including all
Government transport, army contractors’ vehicles, but excluding^
vehicles owned by the army : —
(i) Load-carrying vehicles : 2,000 light, 2,000 medium and heavy.
(ii) Passenger buses : 600.
(iii) Passenger cars : 2,800.
(iv) Motor cycles : 500.
(v) Technical and all unclassified vehicles and tractors : 50.
(B) Categories as above, off the road awaiting spares and tyres :—
(i) 750 light, 750 medium and heavy.
(ii) 100 .
(iii) 700.
(iv) Unknown.
(v) Unknown.
Irrigation Projects.
3 . The following note on irrigation projects was given recently by the
Minister of Finance at a weekly press conference :—
(a) The Shabankareh barrage on the Shahpur River (Pars). Started in 1938.
Will irrigate 10,000 hectares this spring; it can be extended to
irrigate 30,000 hectares.
(b) A dam is to be constructed near Bushire to provide that town with a
suitable water supply.
(c) The Behbehan Irrigation Company began work in 1938 to utilise the
waters of the Marun River. The scheme will begin to provide water
this autumn.
(d) The Rawansar dam on the Qara Su River near Kermanshah started to
provide water for irrigation last autumn.
(e) New channels have been dug to make better use of the springs near
Semnan.
Pro-Amis Agents.
4. A further list of twenty-four persons believed to have pro-Axis
sentiments has been handed to the police. Of these, four are to be deported, the
rest to be warned and watched. A German, Gottlieb Ruppel, who was in hiding,
has been arrested.
Perso-Russian Relations.
5. In connexion with the Kurdish outbreak at Rezaieh (see paragraph 10
below), the Persian Government has sent strong notes of protest to the Soviet
Ambassador and directly to M. Molotov against the continued Soviet refusal to
allow Persian troops at Rezaieh.
Appointments — Civil.
6 . —(i) Dr. Hussain Marzuban to be Ustandar (Governor-General) of the
4th Ustan (Rezaieh).
(ii) Hussain Naficy,. a Directcfr-General in the Finance Department, to be
Director-General of the Persian State Railways.
(iii) Yahiapur, formerly Farmandar of Saveh, to be Farmandar of Garrus.
(iv) Adil Rukni to be Farmandar of Saveh.
(v) Mustafa Quli Kemal Hedayet (Fahim-ud-Dowleh) (F.O. 104) (M.A. 141)
to be Ustandar of Isfahan Province (Department No. 10).
(vi) Muhammad Ali Muaddil to be consul at the Persian Consulate-General
in Delhi.
Persian Forces.
7. There has recently been considerable criticism of the army in the press
and Parliament, directed against its oppressive conduct in the past, its heavy
cost to the people, the arrogance of its officers and its present inefficiency in the
preservation of internal security. This caused some concern to the Shah, who
associates himself very closely with the army, and to the officers, who had long
enjoyed immunity from public criticism. The eftect has probably been salutary.