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Azerbaijan who were elected with the support of the Russians have not vet come
up for examination, but it is possible that they too will be rejected by a Majlis
emboldened by its success in rejecting Pishavari, though the Soviet Embassy are
working hard to prevent this.
28. Elections have not yet been completed at Abadeh and R e y- ^ e Y
elections are due for two Tabriz seats, for Darajiz and for Ear, where the deat i
of Azadi has left a vacancy. The credentials of Dr. Falsafi, Deputy for Gurgan,,
were accepted by the Majlis. The number of Deputies so far elected whose
credentials have not been rejected by the Majlis is 128. .
29. There was some party activity during the period under review, hrom
the 1st—12th August the Tudeh party held its first general conference at Tehran.
Decisions were taken to tighten up party discipline, purge the membeiship,
and set up an Inspection Committee, to deal with disciplinary matters and
watch the Central Committee of the party. The resolutions passed confirmed the
hostility of the party to Seyyid Zia, all foreign advisers, and the grant of economic
concessions “ which constrict or weaken the economic independence of the Persian
nation,” such as presumably the grant of new oil concessions to American or
British companies. ^ m . . . , , , ■
30. The President of the Majlis, Muhammad Sadiq Tabatabai, enlarged his
Majlis group into a party entitled “ Mardum ” (people), which adopted as its
programme union in the defence of true constitutional and democratic Govei n-
ment. A party called “ Kar ” (work) was formed by Dr. Musharraf Nafisi; it
had a lengthy programme of good intentions but its real aim seemed to be to
promote its founder’s candidature for the post of Prime Minister, an ambition
which has little chance of being realised in view of Dr. Nafisi s unpopularity in
the Majlis. ^ •
31. Towards the end of August efforts to form a Government majority in
the Majlis appeared at last to be successful. Some eighty-five Deputies of the
three fractions, the Mihan, the Azadi, and the Ittihad-i-Milli (which is more or
less identical with the Mardum group) agreed to combine to support S3; id s
reconstituted Cabinet. The coalition thus formed survived, rather surprisingly
up to the end of September, in spite of the efforts of the Tudeh and the Russians
to break it up. _ , . r
32. The death of the ex-Shah, on the 26th July, caused no grief except in
the Palilavi family circle, and the present Shah was much criticised on the grounds
that the mourning which he ordered was too elaborate. Some papers criticised
Reza Shah’s work and regime severely, and no section of the press made any
attempt to reach a balanced appraisement of his life and work The ludeh
party publicly dissociated themselves from any mourning (many of their leaders
had been imprisoned by the ex-Shah), and expelled from their party one of then
Deputies who had attended a mourning ceremony.
33. Seyyid Zia, however, took the opportunity to attempt to establish better
relations with the Shah and called specially to condole. The effect was somewhat
spoiled by violent criticism of the ex-Shah in Rad-i-Imruz, which is regarded
as the Seyyid’s paper. Signs were, however, not lacking that the Shah s hostility
to Seyyid Zia was decreasing, and by the end of August a definite reconciliation
appeared to have been effected. After several interviews a considerable measure
of agreement was believed to have been reached between them, and the Shah spoke
of Seyyid Zia as a man with whom it should be possible to work. The Shah’s
attitude was undoubtedly influenced by his realisation that the Tudeh were not
to be appeased, and by increasing fears of Soviet intentions in Azerbaijan, with
the consequent need for a strong man to arrest the deterioration in the political
situation. After considering all other possible candidates, including Taquizadeh,
who was thought to be unwilling to accept the task, and Ahi, who could not be
spared from Moscow, the Shah appeared to be coming to the conclusion that he
might perhaps be well advised to make use of the vigorous personality of Seyyid
Zia in an effort to stand up to the Russians. When the reconciliation became
known Seyyid Zia’s stock rose in Tehran, but there were many who doubted
whether the Shah’s professed desire to co-operate with him was genuine.
34. The Persian Ambassadors in London, Angora, Moscow and Cairo were
summoned to Tehran for consultation with their Government on post-war
problems concerning Persia. The two former arrived in September. Majid Ahi
did not come from Moscow as he was said to be too ill to travel, and Jam has not
yet arrived from Cairo. In many quarters hopes were expressed that Taqizadeh
might prove to be the man to take charge of his country’s fortunes in her present
hour of need, but Taqizadeh is apparently anxious to return to London.