Coll 28/97 ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries’ [‎262r] (523/749)

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Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 9 {Secret) for the Period
^f^h February to \th March, 1945 .—{Communicated in Tehran Despatch
No. 66 of the bth March, 1945; received in Foreign Office \^th March.)
Political.
Persian Affairs.
DR. MILLSPAUGH left Tehran on the 28th February and, unless he is
rash enough to try and write another apologia as a sequel to “ The American
j? aS jL m , rs | a ’ which he published after the completion of his previous tenure
ot office, the hubbub may be expected to die down.
2. Persia declared war on Japan with effect from the 28th February.
3 Bayat’s position has strengthened slightly during the past two weeks.
Inability among the Majlis parties to agree on a successor and a disinclination
to mar the festivities of the Nau Ruz, now approaching, may be the chief causes
Dr. Musaddiq may have strengthened Bayat’s position by a speech in which he
referred to the current trend of thought in the Majlis with regard to the
Government :•—<
For several days it had been quite clear that the Government was
not m very great favour with the Majlis, but reasons for opposition to the
Government should be clearly stated; if the Government was bad then it
should go, but if not then it should receive full support. If the Government
had to go great attention should be paid to its successor. Persia of to-day
found herself living in a period when the leaders of great nations gathered
together, took important decisions and drew up world plans, and if Persians
really gave serious thought to Persia's position in international politics at a
time when the slightest negligence would bring down great misfortune on
Persia, they would be bound to confess that it was necessary for the Majlis
to be respected, and for a clear and permanent policy to be established which
would settle disturbed public opinion on the one hand, and which would
enable Persia to deal with current important international problems with
success on the other. Exactly what the present Government had achieved,
good or bad, should be clearly defined; the Government had kept its promise
to abrogate Millspaugh’s powers and had thus rendered great service to
Persia. If it was proved necessary that the Government should go then
the Majlis should take care to avoid a political crisis and should not appoint
an inefficient successor.”
Financial.
4. The budget for the Persian year 1324—the 21st March, 1945, to the
20th March, 1946—is to be tabled shortly. Expenditure is believed to be round
about 400 million tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. (approximately £31 million).
5. The Treasury is empty and Government salaries are one month in
arrears.
A ppointments — Civil.
6. (i) Jawad Sadr to be first Secretary and Consul at the Persian Consu
late-General at Jerusalem.
(ii) Dr. Abul Qasim Sheikh has been presented to the Majlis as Under
secretary to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Mines.
Persian A rmy.
7. The conscription bill is still being debated and one of the latest amend
ments proposed is to reduce the period of compulsory military service from two
years to one. With administration and training at their present levels this
would render conscription a farce. Between a quarter and a third of the con
scripts on joining know only Turki and take six months or a year to learn
[64—44]
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