Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎178v] (356/749)

3. The programme of the Government is the same as that reported in
Summary No. 13/44, paragraph 3. Twenty-seven Deputies have announced their
intention of speaking against the Government when the programme comes up for
Majlis approval, but the forecast is that it will be approved by a small majority.
4. The Shah is reported to be .much concerned at the growth of Seyyid Zia’s
influence in the Majlis. The Seyyid makes little secret of his intention to raise
at an early date the question of the constitutional position of the Shah and to^^
have it defined by the Majlis. In opposition to Seyyid Zia, the Shah finds himself
Allied to the Tudeh party, whose press continues its violent attacks.
5. Organisers of labour unions (Ittihadieh-i-Kargaran) are becoming more
active throughout Persia. Such unions have existed for some time in the Russian-
occupied zone, where they are closely affiliated with the Tudeh party, in Tehran,
Isfahan, among railway workers, and recently among the workers of the Anglo-
Iranian Oil Company. In Isfahan, where they succeeded some time ago in
forcing better conditions out of the factory An East India Company trading post. owners, they have recently come under
the influence of the Tudeh party, and the workers are now showing signs of an
intransigentism that is frightening the owners and the capitalists of the town
to such an extent that even the Governor-General has come to the conclusion that
the situation can be dealt with only by the establishment of a military governor
ship. There is a reluctance on the part of Persian officials to take action against
movements which are suspected of being inspired from Russian sources. It is
probable that the Tudeh party will endeavour to establish influence over all
labour unions in all parts of the country.
Economic.
6. The press has been making critical attacks on Dr. Millspaugh and his
mission on the general grounds that the achievements of the American advisers
do not justify their cost to the country. The discontent with the American
Mission is widespread. They were never popular with the rich and the poor are
disappointed that conditions have shown so little improvement from their point
of view since their arrival. There is no noticeable decrease in the cost of living
and monopoly goods—tea, sugar and cloth—which should be distributed at
controlled prices on rationed scales, rarely reach the peasant or the tribesman.
A weighty attack on Dr. Millspaugh has already been made in the Majlis by
Dr. Musaddiq.
7. A beginning has, in fact, been made on a small scale with the distribution
of tea, sugar and cloth. Rationed quantities of these goods have been issued to
some Lur and Bakhtiari tribes on the railway and to some of the Kuhgalu tribes.
Arrangements are also being made for issues to the tribes and, it is hoped, to some
of the villagers of Ears. The nature of the communities selected for these first
issues should be convincing proof of the value of a nuisance potential in attracting
consideration.
A appointments — Civil.
8. Ismail Bahadur! to be Farmandar of Ardebil.
Internal Security.
Ears.
9. Malik Mansur and Muhammad Hussein, brothers of Nasir Qashgai, have
recently returned to Persia from Germany and have gone to the tribe. They were
both educated in England, and after their experiences in Germany there is reason
to hope that their influence on their brother will be good. Nasir, while still
rebellious towards his own Government, is showing signs of desiring to get into
the good books of British authorities. It is possible that he may find a champion
in Seyyid Zia, who is playing for tribal support. This has increased the Shah’s
uneasiness about the situation in Ears and his suspicions of General Jahanbani’s
policy towards Nasir, with which he has for some time been very displeased.
Kuhgalu.
10. The peaceful operations for the collection of arms from the Bahmai and
Janeki tribes are now ended. The Janeki surrendered some 170 rifles, but the
Bahmai did not carry out their promises of co-operation and, as far as is known,
they surrendered few. if any, rifles. Their change of mind was probably due to
the’ influence of Abdullah Zarghampur, Boir Ahmadi, who rightly appreciated