Ext 5000/46(1) ‘Persian Situation: Miscellaneous Reports’ [‎9r] (17/1202)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
J. H. Le ROUGETEL.
PERSIA
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October 16, 1946
CONFIDENTIAL
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Mr. Le Rougetel to Mr. Bevin. (Received \§th October)
(No. 415)
^ Tehran, %th October, 1946
1 HAVh the honour to report that the Tudeh Party recently decided to
celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of the party. For this purpose they
found it convenient to revive the ancient Zoroastrian feast of Mehrgan, which
occurs in the Persian calendar on a day close to that on which the party was
formed five years ago. There are many myths and legends about the feast of
Mehrgan but the oldest seem to associate it with the completion of the divine
creation of the world and the inspiration of mankind with the spirit of God. The
party organisers have, however, been at pains to make it clear that they attach no
religious significance to the festival but wish it to be observed solely as a national
political anniversary.
2. The celebrations began on 2nd October with a luncheon party to foreign
journalists, followed the next day by an evening reception attended by the Prime
Minister, members of the Cabinet, senior officers of the services and the principal
officials of the various ministries. On Friday, 4th October, there was a mass
meeting of the party and of workers’ unions in the main square of the capital,
which was well organised and orderly. A special 10-page edition of Rahbar,
official press organ of the party, was published to commemorate the anniversary
and the editor claims that 120,000 copies were sold. All members were urged
to subscribe one day’s pay to party funds.
3. The occasion is appropriate for a brief review of the present position
of the Tudeh Party. During the early months of the current year, after the
formation of the Government of Qavam al Sultaneh, the strength and influence
of the party developed rapidly, but during the last three months it has encountered
set-backs in spite of the inclusion of three Tudeh leaders in the Cabinet at the
beginning of August.
4. In the province of Khuzistan (which includes the A.I.O.C.’s oilfields and
installations at Abadan) most of the party’s agitators have for the time being been
banished or shut up and martial law has imposed severe restrictions on party
activities of all kinds; in Shiraz and Isfahan also, martial law has been declared
with discouraging consequences for the party’s organisations. In Kerman the
Tudeh has been curbed and though still active in Meshed it is faced there with
persistent opposition from the Persian Democrat Party. In Gilan and
Mazandaran the “oppression " exercised by Government officials is the subject
of constant complaint in the Tudeh press.
5. On the other side of the account must be entered the sustained vigour of
the party headquarters in Tehran, the vitality of its chief organs of publicity, the
Tehran newspapers Rahbar and Zafar and its eight provincial journals, the
efforts of the Minister of Education (Dr. Kishawarz), through his numerous
nominees, to teach the Marxist gospel in the schools throughout the country.
Many party men have also been appointed to work in the Ministries of Health
and Commerce and Industry. The Tudeh Party is well organised, resourceful and
full of fight and determination and may well succeed in overcoming the official
opposition which at present bars the way to further expansion.
I am sending copies of this despatch to the Government of India, His
Majesty's Ambassador at Baghdad and the British Middle East OfficeTTaTro.
I have. &c.