"ملف ١١/ ٤٤ الشخصيات الرائدة في العراق وإيران والمملكة العربية السعودية" [ظ‎‎١‎٨] (٩٦/٣٦)

32
Went to Egypt in the summer of 1945 and was
made a member of the Persian delegation to U.N.O
in January 1946.
Has a Caucasian wife with a “ past and is
universally suspected of having taken a great many
bribes.
151. Sururi Muhammad
Born about 1900. Served in various Government
Departments, being one of the favoured young men
selected by Davar, then Minister of Justice, when
he revised the organisation of the Ministry in 1929.
Has been judge in the Tehran courts, and Under
secretary at the Ministry of Justice. Director of
the Agricultural Bank 1942, but removed from that
post June 1943. Posted to the Ministry of the
Interior to look after it till Hajhir's return, January
1944. Minister of Interior in Sa‘id’s Cabinet of
August 1944 and again in Bayat’s Cabinet in
November 1944—June 1945. He did well, but in
curred the displeasure of the Tudeh party when he
arrested the worst of the professional toughs of
Tehran and imprisoned them in Bandar Abbas.
Businesslike and said to be honest. Lacking in
real initiative, but carries out orders efficiently.
152. Taha, Dr. Abdul Hussein
Born in Tehran about 1911. Educated in
medicine in England and qualified in medicine
and surgery after eight years in Birming
ham and at Guy’s Hospital. Real name is
Tabatabai, of the Yezdi family of that name.
Employed by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company as a
doctor 1940-42, and since practising in Tehran.
A bright young man who seems keen on his pro
fession. Married the youngest daughter of Vosugh-
ed-Douleh.
153. Tabatabai, Sayyid Muhammad Sddiq
Second son of the late Seyyid Mohammad
Tabatabai, who was a prominent figure in the
Nationalist movement of 1906 to 1910. Born in
Tehran about 1880. Elected to the third and fourth
Majlises. In close touch with pro-Germans during
the war of 1914—18. Emigrated to Turkey in 1916.
Returned in 1918 and co-operated with Suleiman
Mirza in forming the Socialist party. During this
phase he was in close touch with the Soviet
Embassy. Ambassador to Turkey 1924-27. Recalled
in 1927 and offered a post as a judge in the High
Court of Appeal, but did not accept it.
Speaks French. Said to be intelligent and hard
working. Was more or less under arrest for about
ten years in Tehran until the fall of Reza Shah
1941. Gradually entered political life after that and
initiated and fostered the only Liberal party of
Persia, called the “ Millat ” party (“ The Nation ).
Head or the Election Committee for Tehran
1943-44, and himself elected Deputy. Aspires to
becoming Prime Minister, but, though intelligent,
has ruined his health by excessive opium-smoking.
Elected President of the fourteenth Majlis.
An opium addict for thirty years, he frequently
found it difficult to keep awake when he was pre
siding over the Majlis. Moreover, sessions could
not last till after 1-30 p.m. because the time for his
pipe had come. An incorrigible intriguer he stands
close to the Shah to whom he has always offered
bad advice, favouring a conciliatory policy towards
Soviet aggression. His “ liberal ” ideas are not to
be taken seriously. He and his friends pride them
selves on their patriotism and the pursuit of the
middle way between Britain and the U.S.S.R. For
reasons unknown he is generally regarded as a
“ national ” figure Would like to be Prime
Minister. Unsuccessful candidate for Tehran in
elections for fifteenth Majlis.
154. Tabatabai, Sayyid Zia-ud-Din
Born about 1893. Son of the late Seyyid All
Yazdi Tabatabai. Edited the newspaper Rad
(Thunder) in Tehran in 1915-16. Played a con
siderable political role in 1917-18. Sent to Baku
by Vosuq-ud-Dowleh in 1919 as Persian represen
tative to Caucasian Azerbaijan; returned to Tehran
in May 1920. Carried out coup d’Etat with the
help of the Cossacks in February 1921, and seized
the reins of office. Appointed Prime Minister with
full powers by Ahmed Shah on the 1st March, 1921,
and effected numerous arrests. His reforms were ^ *
too radical for the country and the time, and he fell
from power in June, fleeing the country. He has
been in the tobacco business while exiled.
Took a prominent part in the Pan-Islamic Con
gress at Jerusalem in 1933.
Said to have assisted Kazemi in the negotiations
with Iraq at Geneva during 1935.
In 1942, being by that time the owner of a very
prosperous farm near Chazza in Palestine, which
he had developed himself, he began to think of
returning to his native country, and Muzaffar Firuz
began with great energy and indiscretion to run a
newspaper campaign in his favour in Tehran. He
published a letter from the Seyyid in which the
Russians were praised in fulsome language. His
name came forward a good deal in the Tehran presa
during 1943, and quite a number of Deputies in
thirteenth Majlis seem to have favoured his retunf^
The Russians and the Shah, however, were stead
fastly opposed to his return, the former because
they mistrusted Firuz’s unfortunate letter, and the
latter through fear that the Seyyid might become
a dictator. However, he returned to Tehran in
September 1943 and was elected to the fourteenth
Majlis from Yezd, his native place. Caused annoy
ance by insisting on wearing a woollen hat of
Caucasian style, and alienated some of his friends
by an appearance of stubbornness and obstinacy.
Founded a political party which in the summer of
1945 was officially launched under the name of §
“ Iradeh-i-Milli ” or National Will. His followers
claimed that the party numbered about 9,000 in
Tehran, at the end of 1945. Is the particular bug
bear of the Tudeh and the Russians, who never tire
of vilifying him as the arch-enemy of his country
and the principal tool in Persia of imperialists,
reactionaries, &c. During the near-panic whid^y
prevailed in Tehran in November-December 19<
as a result of the approach of the Azerbaijan ^
Democrats towards Qazvin many leading politicians
and Deputies began seriously to consider that
Seyyid Zia should be exiled from Persia as a sop
to the Russians.
Arrested by Qavam-us-Saltanah on 19th March,
1946. Released to house det-ention in March 1947 on
account of ill-health.
It is no exaggeration to say that Seyyid Zia rallied
the anti-Tudeh forces in Persia and thus made it
possible to resist intensive Soviet pressure when it
came. Alone among Persians he has never allowed
personal or even party interest to interfere with his
policy. By his uncompromising resistance to
Russian encroachments he became the symbol of
Persia’s will to resist. Though suspicious of Sa’id
when he first came to power, he nevertheless sup
ported him wholeheartedly when he proved that he
was determined to resist Soviet demands. Simi
larly, he strongly supported Hakimi’s foreign policy, -
although his party suffered severely at his hands.
Again, when Qavam-us-Saltaneh did not surrender
to the Soviets he gave him his support, although >
the latter has a personal feud with him since he was
one of those imprisoned by him in 1921.
A man of outstanding singleness of purpose and
courage. Personally attractive, religious without
being fanatical or obscurantist, he is at the same
time short-tempered and impatient of criticism.
These defects, however, were very much less notice
able during the last few months of the fourteenth