"ملف ١١/ ٤٤ الشخصيات الرائدة في العراق وإيران والمملكة العربية السعودية" [ظ‎‎٧] (٩٦/١٤)

10
Zill-us-Sultan. Educated at Tehran and at
Columbia University, United States, where he
graduated in economics. Entered the Anglo-Persian
Oil Company about 1922 and is the senior Persian
official in that company at Tehran, drawing a large
salary. Author of a book on the economic condition
of Persia, published in 1926. Appointed deputy
general manager of A.I.O.C. at Abadan in February
1947.
Has a son in England and a daughter married to
Asghar Mirza, the son of Sarem-ud-Douleh. His
wife was daughter of the Zill-us-Sultan's head secre
tary, Siraj-ul-Mulk.
Has a perfect command of English and is keenly
interested in Persian politics. He also has an inter
national outlook and a considerable knowledge of
world politics, particularly those of the Left.
Intelligent, friendly and very approachable. Is a
mine of information about the foibles of his own
countrymen.
39. Fatimi, Mehdi (Imad-us-Saltaneh)
Born about 1886. Has had an official career in
the Ministry of Finance and in 1918 was financial
representative in his native city of Isfahan, w'here he
is influential both through his own family and
through that of his wife, wflio is a daughter of the
late Prince Zill-es-Sultan. Appointed Deputy-
Governor of Ears in 1922-23. Elected a Deputy
from Isfahan in the fifth and sixth terms of the
Majlis. Appointed Minister of Education in August
1925. Minister of Justice in December 1925 and
Minister of Interior February to May 1927.
As a Minister and a Deputy he was uniformly
popular and successful. In 1928 he fell out with the
Minister of Court and w r as not allowed to be elected
to the seventh term of the Majlis. Elected a
Deputy to the Eighth Majlis 1930. Governor of
Gilan from December 1933 until October 1937.
Head of the Municipality of Tehran under
Sulaili’s Cabinet February 1943. Resigned 1943 and
elected Deputy for Nain 1943. One of the leaders
of the Ittihad-i-Milli group in the fourteenth Majlis
which contained about twenty Right-wing members.
He speaks no European language except a little
French.
Appointed Governor-General of Fars in March
1946. Recalled during the Qashqai revolt in autumn
but reappointed February- 1947. Recalled Mav
1947.
40. Fatimi Saif pur
Born about 1905, one of three brothers, a Naini
family which claims relationship with Mehdi Fatemy
(Imad-us-Saltaneh), though the latter denies it.
Educated at the Stuart Memorial College, Isfahan,
where he became a baptised Christian; but he made
away with some of the mission funds and the
mission do not forgive him. He and another, named
Hussein Saadat, wrote a book against Islam. In
order to marry his present wife, who is well off,
became a Bahai.
Farmandar (Governor) of Shiraz 1941^43; then
resigned, apparently because he had amassed too
much money there. His Majesty’s Consul, Shiraz,
considered him energetic, helpful and capable. Then
returned to Isfahan as candidate for the Majlis for
Najafabad, and though he had little real following
in that area success was engineered for him by
Morteza Quli Bakhtiari and Sarem ud Douleh.
Intelligent, entirely unscrupulous, and very
ambitious; speaks good English and has studied
English and English literature, and can remember
many extracts. At present (1944) it suits him to
appear pro-British; he is certainly anti-Russian.
Has many enemies, both Persian and British, but
is a man who can, when he wishes, make himself
very useful. Was largely responsible for organising
the anti-Tudeh Workers’ Union in Isfahan.
Before Qavam came into power in 1946, he
pretended to be passionately opposed to him (a
ruse enacted to please the British). In fact he
almost certainly supported him as was shown by an
article appearing in his brother’s paper Bakhtar on
the day that Qavam was elected.
After the demise of the 14th Majlis he went on
a visit to the United States.
41. Fidakar, Taqi
Born about 1905, in Isfahan, of humble origin.
Educated at the Saremieh school at Isfahan. As
a boy he got into trouble for socialistic beliefs.
Trained as a lawyer. Worked for a time in the
Soviet Consulate-General at Isfahan in connexion
with the sale of Soviet textiles in Isfahan. From
1940 onwards has devoted most of his energies to
bettering the lot of the Isfahan factory workers and
has done much to help them, as he has become the
chief workers’ representative in disputes about
conditions of work. Founded a primitive sort of
trade union for the protection of workers’ interests,
including insurance. Elected to the fourteenth
Majlis for Isfahan 1943, being supported by the
Tudeh party, of which he is a member, though he
disclaims being a Communist and is not looked
upon favourably by the Tudeh party in Tehran
owing to his moderate views. He is thought not
to have had any direct relations with the
authorities concerning the elections. He is7 c ^
course, disliked by most of the capitalists of Isfahan,
though some of them accept him as a fairly single-
minded man. His main political following is among
the factory workers and guilds and small bazaar
men, who are naturally opposed to domination by
the few rich families of Isfahan.
Lost his political following among the factory
workers of Isfahan during 1944—45 when the Isfahan
workers’ union broke away from the Tudeh. On
coming to Tehran as a Deputy he immediately fell
under Soviet influence.
In April 1946 succeeded in re-establishing Tudeh
influence in the Isfahan factories.
42. Firuz, Muhammad Hussein
Born about 1895. The fourth son of the late
Farman Farma. Educated at the military college
at Petrograd. Entered the Persian army during
the 1914—18 war, and was regarded as one of Hie
promising young officers of the army. Appoil^d
Chief of Staff of the Southern Division in 192 ^
and did very good work in organising the troops in
Fars and enforcing discipline and efficiency. Sent
to Delhi as representative of the Persian army at
the Indian army manoeuvres early in 1925. Fell
under suspicion for some reason about 1929 and
resigned his commission. His Qajar origin was no
doubt the cause of his collapse. Very attached to
his brother Firuz (Nusrat-ed-Douleh) but not on
good terms with his father. Married a Miss Namazi,
who was educated in Hong Kong and speaks English
perfectly.
Returned to Persia late in 1941, and was sent
to Fars as G.O.C. and Governor-General in March
1942. Superseded in both appointments by Marshal
Shahbakhti a year later. He had succeeded in
keeping a rather precarious order in Fars, but never
succeeded in repressing Nasir Qashqai’s rebellious
movement. Head of the air force, 1943. Again
appointed Governor-General of Fars in early summer
of 1944 but did not get on with the influential
Qavam-ul-Mulk or the Qashqai Khans. His
enemies accused him of weakness and of truckling
too much to the Tudeh, but His Majesty’s Consul,
Shiraz, on the contrary, considered that his refusal
to take unnecessarily repressive measures against
the Tudeh was more sound. Appointed Minister
of War in Sa'id’s reconstituted Cabinet in August
1944 but refused the appointment. Minister of