'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎9r] (17/96)

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Director of the port of Pahlavi 1930. Arrested and
tried for complicity in the irregularities in the
Ministry of Roads and Communications, February
1936; sentenced in the autumn to six months’
imprisonment and a fine.
Intelligent, and of charming manners. Speaks
French and German. His mother was a daughter
of Muzaffar-ed-Din Shah. Exonerated after the
fall of Reza Shah, but not re-employed in Govern
ment service. In 1943 engaged in contracting work.
Appointed Inspector of Railways, August 1945.
54. Hikmat, Ali Asghar
Born about 1894. A member of a Shiraz family
and cousin to Mushar-ud-Douleh (Mirza Nizam-
ud-Din Khan Hikmat) and Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Fakhir (Mirza
Reza Khan Hikmat). Educated in the Church
Missionary Society School at Shiraz 1908-09. Well
read in Arabic. Went to Tehran in 1914, where
he entered the American College, graduating in
1917. Joined the Ministry of Public Instruction
as an inspector. Appointed Director of Education
for Fars about 1920, but kept out of the position
owing to intrigues. Candidate for Parliament (tfie
fifth Majlis) in 1923, for Shiraz and also for Jahrum,
but was not successful. Employed in the Ministry
of Education until about 1930, when he went abroad
to Paris to study law. Said to have done well
his examinations. Returned to Tehran in
ptember 1933, to take charge of the Ministry
of Education as acting Minister. Raised to the
rank of Minister in February 1936. Dismissed,
July 1938, owing to the Shah’s displeasure about
a telegram connected with the Paris Exhibition,
but restored to favour as Minister of the Interior,
February 1939. Resigned March 1940. Was
proposed for Minister, Berlin, but the German
Government hesitated about his agreement. When
it did come the Shah decided to re-employ him
as Minister of the Interior instead, but dismissed
him in June 1940.
Minister of Industry and Commerce in Feroughi’s
Cabinet in 1941, and had a good deal to do with
the negotiations about the Tripartite Treaty of 1942.
Minister of Health, March 1942. Minister'of Justice
in Soheily’s Cabinet of February 1943, but resigned
in July owing to differences of opinion with his
chief. Headed cultural missions to India 1944 and
again in 1947. Delegate to United Nations Educa-
®%n Conference 1945.
\ The author of some literary works, he spends some
time instructing students in Persian literature at
the university. Often accused of intriguing against
Qavam-ul-Mulk, but such accusations have not been
proved
Speaks English and French well; always very
helpful to us.
55. Hikmat Riza ( Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Fakhir)
Born Shiraz about 1888. Cousin of Ali Asghar
Hikmat. During the 1914-18 war was a determined
enemy of Qavam-ul-Mulk and friendly with the
Qashqais. Since that war settled down in Tehran
and was employed in various Government appoint
ments. Governor-General of Kerman 1940-41.
Head of the Statistics and Civil Status Office 1942.
Elected to the 14th Majlis 1944 for Shiraz. He
still enjoys the support and friendship of the
Qashqais. Appointed Governor-General, Kirman,
June 1946. Is a member of Central Committee of
Iran Democrat Party. Elected Deputy for Shiraz
in 15th Majlis.
A corpulent and polite man, very hospitable, but
a man of curious friends.
56. Hiumayunjah, Muhammad Ali
Born about 1888. A graduate of the Tehran
School of Political Science. Judge of the Tribunal
of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs 1922-25. Has
held various clerical posts in the Ministry,
culminating in that of head of the personnel section
of the Ministry 1932-34. Sent as counsellor to
Paris in 1935; a post to which he was singularly
ill-fitted owing to his scanty knowledge of French.
For some obscure reason, said to be connected
with seniority, was made Under-Secretary at the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs in April 1942; in which
post he maintains his reputation of benevolent and
useless stupidity.
A corpulent individual showing few indications
of intelligence; his appointment to a foreign post
was looked upon as a very good joke in Tehran
Promoted to personal rank of Ambassador April
1946 and awarded Humayun Medal First Class.
Became Minister for Foreign Affairs December 1946.
57. Huvanasian, Ardashiz
Born in Resht in 1905. Educated in the
American school at Resht and in 1924 went to
study at the Sociological College in Moscow. After
his return from Moscow took up the cause of
the workers and was imprisoned in 1928 and again
from 1931 to 1941. Is said to have carried on
underground activity from prison. One of the
founder members of the Tudeh party. Elected
Deputy in the 14th Majlis for Armenians and
Assyrians of Azerbaijan; his election was almost
unanimous owing to Russian pressure. Gifted with
a certain power of invective he writes occasionally
for the Tudeh press and is a leading member of
the Tudeh organising committee. Was on good
terms with the autonomous “ Government ” of
Azerbaijan. Speaks Turki, excellent Persian and
Russian and some English, French and German.
58. IbHhaj, Ahid-Hassan
Second son of Ebtehaj-ul-Mulk, and brother of
Ghulam Hussein Ebtehaj. Born at Resht about
1900. Interpreter to the British forces in Gilan
towards the end of the war. Entered the service
of the Imperial Bank of Persia at Resht about
1920. Did well there, and was transferred to
Tehran 1925. Assistant to the chief inspector from
then till he resigned in 1936.
Head of the Mortgage Bank 1939. Realised one
of his ambitions when he became president of the
National Bank of Iran (Banque Mellie) in
September 1942. In that post he has worked hard
and been of great service to us in many ways.
He seems to be one of the few Persian financiers
with intelligence, ability and energy. On the other
hand he is hasty, hot-tempered and easily upset,
and his persistence in an unwise legal attack on
the Imperial Bank of Iran (a suit which he
eventually lost) seems to show that he bears that
institution a grudge. Pro-British and anti-Russian
to such an extent that he is also regarded as a
British agent by his numerous political rivals.
Sayyid Zia and his supporters, however, were
bitterly opposed to him on the Millspaugh issue.
His attitude towards the latter was consistently
obstructive. Delegate to Currency Conference in
United States, June 1944. Delegate to Financial
Conference, Cairo, 1944. Showed strong hostility to
Dr. Millspaugh in 1944.
Married in 1926 Maryam, daughter of Taghi
Nabari (Muazziz-ud-Douleh). Both he and his
wife speak English, French and Russian well, and
are very much in the confidence of the Shah and
Princess Ashraf. No children.
59. Ibtihaj, Ghulam Husain
Born at Resht 1898. Eldest son of the late
Ebtehaj-ul-Mulk, who was for years in charg? of
the Gilan estates of Fathullah Akbar. Educated
at Resht and completed his studies at Beirut, and
for a short time in France. Interpreter to the
British Expeditionary Force 1918-20.