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Ext 5000/41(11) 'Persian Situation. Miscellaneous Reports' [‎57v] (114/1028)

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The record is made up of 1 file (571 folios). It was created in 26 Sep 1943-4 Dec 1945. It was written in English, French and Farsi. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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to postpone the elections for a few months but at any hint of this
Tudeh declares that in that case they will hold the elections
themselves. Holding of such elections could not be prevented in
the north and successful candidates may form provincial councils
and pass-embarrassing ''legislation 11 and enforce it by such means
as are now being usdd’in Azerbaijan to encourage refusal to
pay rural rents. Extent of Russian help would depend upon known
Soviet estimate of how far-they could safely go.
A* Tudeh justify their demand that elections should take
place before departure of foreign.troops on the pretext that
otherwise Persia will revert to the state she was in under
Reza Shah when (they allege) she was entirely under the. influence
of imperialists, i.e. of His Majesty's Government. Knowing that
Reza Shah ms rather less amenable than a rogue elephant we may
think this theoretically absurd but since many Persians used to
hold it as a sub-conscious excuse for tame submission to the Shah’s
despotic rule it serves as a good cover behind which to work for
a Tudeh dictatorship, backed by the Russians. Incidentally it was
entertaining to see with what fervour Tudeh newspapers greeted
Professor Laski's speech against the puppet government,
5. Published programme of Tudeh is reasonable - although'
not more reasonable nor appreciably more radical than those of
several .(Other parties who, lacking foreign advice and discipline.,
make less noise in Persia. On the other hand successive Persian
Governments of last four years whom on my own initiative or on
your instructions I have urged to carry out reforms have made
most meagre response. Their excuse has been lack of necessary
authority owing to foreign occupation and particularly to
Russian interference. This excuse is at least partly valid:
Russians, e.g. by their relentless sabotage of work of American
advisers have shown that they greatly prefer continuation of
what might be [grp. undec.] to any programme of gradual reform.
I do not however contend that any conceivable Persian Government .
would be thoroughly enlightened nor that erections held after
departure of foreign troops would be entirely democratic 0 As
in England 150 years ago great bulk of Persian electorate is
inert ,' does' not expect much say in its own governance and would
use power rather wildly if it got it. I believe however that
outside Russian controlled area, w r here anti-Tudeh opinion is
discouraged,;dislike of Tudeh as a foreign-controlled
organisation is widespread and I do therefore contend that if
Russian armed support for Tudeh were reduced elections would be
a great deal fairer than if it were not. Tudeh demand that
elections should not await departure of foreign troops is by
way of a handsome tribute to impartiality which could be
expected from our troops and a damaging admission about the
Russians.
6 . The Russian's objection to Reza Shah regime may rest
partly/

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Content

This file consists of miscellaneous reports regarding internal affairs in Persia (later referred to more frequently as Iran). Most of the correspondence is between His Majesty's Ambassador in Tehran (Sir Reader William Bullard) and officials of the Foreign Office.

Other prominent correspondents include the following: His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Tehran (Daniel William Lascelles; Herbert Reginald Dauphin Gybbon-Monypenny); His Majesty's Consul, Isfahan; His Majesty's Consul General, Tabriz (Thomas Cecil Rapp); His Majesty's Ambassador in Washington (Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, referred to in the correspondence as Viscount Halifax, and later, as Earl of Halifax); His Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow (Archibald Clark Kerr); officials of the Foreign Office and the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .

The correspondence includes discussion of the following:

  • Political affairs in Persia, including elections, resignations, and the reconstruction of the Cabinet.
  • Reports of the theft of telephone cables used by the British military in Persia.
  • The Shah's [Muhammad Reza Khan] personal finances.
  • Reports of Russian interference in Persian elections.
  • The procedural and administrative arrangements of the Persian National Consultative Assembly (mainly referred to in the correspondence as the Majlis; the file also includes a list of the deputies of the 14th Majlis, with biographical notes).
  • The tenability of the position of Dr Arthur Chester Millspaugh, United States financial adviser to the Persian Government and head of the Millspaugh mission.
  • Anti-British opinion in the Iranian press.
  • Details of the main political parties in Persia (particular coverage is given to the Tudeh party).
  • Radio broadcasts in Persia, and the proposal from His Majesty's Ambassador in Tehran that the British should begin producing regular radio reports in Persian, which should be broadcast by the BBC in London.
  • The question of whether the British should agree to the release of Persian internees described as 'fifth columnists'.
  • The case for abandoning political censorship (as a response to Soviet censorship in press telegrams).

The French language material consists of extracts and cuttings from two French language Iranian publications, Journal de Tehran and Messager de Téhéran ; the Farsi language material consists of a copy of an aide-memoire by His Majesty's Ambassador in Tehran, which is dated 25 January 1945 and appears in English and Farsi.

The file includes five dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (571 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 573; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Written in
English, French and Farsi in Latin and Arabic script
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Ext 5000/41(11) 'Persian Situation. Miscellaneous Reports' [‎57v] (114/1028), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/561, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048203395.0x000073> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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