"ملف 61/11 V (D 95) مسائل متنوعة خاصة بالحجاز ونجد" [و‎‎١‎١] (٥٣٠/٣٨)

1
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
PEESIA,
CONFIDENTIAL,
March 23, 1932.
(P'N
[E 1467/44/34]
tion 2.
§
Mr. Hoare to Sir John Simon.—{Received March 23.)
No. 128. Confidential.)
i r) Tehran, March 9, 1932.
I HAVE the honour to report that the police authorities of Tehran have
recently arrested a number of Persians, apparently on suspicion of being
concerned in a plot of a revolutionary nature. Ever since the arrival of
the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs in Tehran last January, I have received
reports of arrests made and] heard many rumours as to their true cause. Shortly
before the arrival of Tevfik Ilu§tu Bey, indeed, I observed that the police officers
stationed in the streets of Tehran were armed with rifles; enquiries elicited the
unconvincing explanation that they were issued in order to show extra respect to
the important visitor.
2. I believe that about forty persons in all are under arrest. A good many
of them are minor employees of various Ministries, such as the Ministry of Post«
and Telegraphs, of National Economics, of Justice, and of Foreign Affairs. A
few Armenians are also among those arrested; a fact which no doubt gave rise to
the least plausible of the many stories circulating in explanation; namely, that
the cause of the arrests was a plot by Armenians to murder Tevfik Eu§tu Bey.
One of the secretaries of the Prime Minister has also been arrested.
3. Another rumour explains the arrests as being due to the discovery of
an elaborate spying organisation in the pay of the Minister of Court; this rumour
is probably traceable to some of the many Persians who are envious of the great
man's success and would not be sorry to see him share the fate of Firuz Mirza and
others. Yet another story connects the arrests with a plot to establish a republic,
and leaflets advocating this form of government are said to have been distributed
from an aeroplane. The most probable story appears to be one which connects
the arrests with a Bolshevik plot for the overthrow of the present regime. The
Persian press has denied that anyone has been arrested at all; a statement which
no one believes.
4. Two other developments during the past two months are worth
mentioning, and may be related to the foregoing facts. One is that a considerable
number of the principal personages belonging to the important tribes in the south r
such as the Qashqais, and the Khamseh Arabs, have been summoned to Tehran,
where they are either in prison or under surveillance and obliged to remain in
Tehran. One of the chief men of the Persian Kurds has 1 also been summoned to
the capital. The second development is the expulsion from Tehran of certain
preachers who presumed to speak critically from their pulpits of recent enact
ments of the Majlis, especially the new law concerning marriage.
5. One of the most trusted agents of the Qavam, who is the titular head of
the Khamseh tribes, has had the unpleasant experience of being incarcerated for
four days in a dark cell without being told exactly what his offence was. He was
shown on many occasions a document purporting to have been written by him,
containing treasonable matter. It appears to have been established that the
writing was a forgery, and he was then released.
6. These proceedings are to some extent covered by elastic police regulations,
though, theoretically, an arrested person has to receive a formal trial. It is not
likely, however, that irregularities will even be the subject of a protest. I
reported in my despatch No. 734 of the 30th December last the execution of the
Jew Haim at night after five years in prison; this outrage seems to have caused
no outward disturbances.
7. The general impression I retain from these events is a feeling that the
Shah's mind is not at rest. This disquiet affects all sections of the Administra-
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