Coll 28/120 ‘Persia. Ahwaz – Consular diaries.’ [‎132r] (264/669)

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action oeanus to lend weight to the previous reports that he
had interfered in grain collection.
(14) A fact that has recently emerged sheds a new light
on Agha Nafisi s activities in Khuzistan. Ainong the under
takings which were to guarantee the food supply of Khuzistan
appeared five hundred tons from ^usangird. It now aupears that
no regular undertakings were given in the area at all and the only
Jbasis for Agha Nafisi’p report was a vague promise hy the head
>f the Finance Department in <nigangird, who, according to hi s
own statement, had to hring in a very considerahle proportion
of the 150 tons delivered through the marshes from Iraq 0
(15) According to the latest information about the
strength of Persian troops in Khuzistan, the Persian forces’
estimate of 24S0 tons of grain required until the next harvest
is grossly excessive; setting aside the provision of barley
xor animals - apparently one of the more notorious sources of {
income for Persian officers - and allowing 800 grammes of wheat
daily to each man, the estimate is almost 1000 tons in exess.
An additional ground for suspicion is that the military have
demanded that almost two thirds of the wheat be delivered in
Ahwaz and Ram Hormuz, which between them contain a considerably
smaller proportion of the total Persian forces in Khuzistan, and
further enquiries are being made.
V. Tribal - Bakhtiari
(16) The plan for the reoccupation of the Janiki country''
has been changed after the visit to Khuzistan of the ilinister of
War* It was apparently felt that even if the- column from
iw ^cessful in re occupying Izeh, the majority of
the Chaharlang recalcitrants would escape in the direction of
the Bardsir; it was therefore decided to send another column
from Isfahan into the Bardsir to flush the tribe towards the
Khuzistan column in the Garinsir*
VI. Tribal - Kuhgilu >
i- 7 !, In ? he f ir st part of the fortnight, the Zarghaxnpur
faction was circulating the rumour that the Persian govsrnm^n*
th2v«?J? rr ? nde I*! t0 the ^qai and Bakhtiarihad proirlseV'
th^Kalantan ofthe Kuhgilu together with Zaidun to Abdullah
Khan who would remove conscription, taxation and all other
pigns J 0 £ the central government. The meeting between
rtnnf+? inpUr T an + Ge] ?eral Ahmedi at Ardekan on 24th Beptember has
doubtless lent weight to the propaganda and contributed to the
nervousness of the minor chieftains forming the anti-Zarghampur
inti in*. . ^ he ^ in ister of War during his visit to Khuzistan
outlined his plans for dealing with the Kuhgilu tribes. He
^riefly to keep the Boir Ahrned Barhaddi hostiles in
thei^int^ns? P rotracted negotiations at the same time exploiting
will t0 the utraost - the meantime, he
nnin With ri f les and money such other minor khans a s will
all ho ??if h ?? pUr and at tempt in cooperation with them to disarm
all hostile elements in the Behmai and Teibi Garmsir,
® lan Khalili, the Behmai leader, whose
P »^K a fP l0 at Jaizan _ see para 32 of the last diary - ca-j< 5 °d
arrived rff^i fff f the day before General Ahmedi
rlatlt* /.f ® X ? la f ed that hardship and tactlea* answer p to
to < . h u lp J from and Jaizan had caused hi P men
a °£ hand “ d Professed the beet intentions for the
»resented A to h£m e w% he ^ anded 0VGr the L.M.G. and the Brno rifle
hira b y Zarghampur and returned the twelve rifles
^axen from the gendarmerie at Jaizan; most of the property taken
/from there