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3
Fars.
14. Nasir Qashgai has sent to the Prime Minister and the Majlis an excited
telegram protesting against the movement of Persian troops into Qashgai
territory, apparently to garrison places that to some extent control the lines of
migration. Nasir pretends to regard these moves as provocative, likely to alarm
the tribes as to the intentions of Government and unjustified in view of the good
^^Bjprder maintained by the tribes during their upward migration. It is true
I chat both the Qashgai and Khamseh tribes have moved from their winter
to their summer quarters with unusually little disturbance to roads and villages.
A minor incident has occurred between a section of the Qashgai tribe and the
gendarmerie at Abadeh, which will not improve relations, when the gendarmerie
attempted to force the Qashgai to drive to Shiraz sheep which they were taking
for sale to Yazd. In .the ensuing fracas the gendarmerie opened fire and killed
some sheep.
Kurdistan.
15. It is reported from Kermanshah that early in April several important
Kurdish chieftains from Iraq met representatives from the Persian Kurdish
tribes of Kalkhani, Waladbegi and Qubadi to discuss plans for Kurdish
independence. This meeting was followed by an anonymous petition to
His Majesty’s Consul complaining of the oppression of the Iraqi and Kurdish
Governments, and urging the establishment of an independent Kurdistan to
include the Kurds of Syria, Iraq, Persia and Turkey.
Russian Interests.
16. In commenting on rumours to the effect that present disagreements
between Russia and Great Britain might lead to another war, one of the Russian-
inspired Persian papers says that these rumours are being put about by persons
interested in maintaining and increasing high prices. There was no possibility
of Great Britain fighting Russia. In one stroke the Red army could sever the
vital arteries leading from Great Britain’s oil supplies in Persia and Iraq.
17. A Society for the Promotion of Cultural Relations between the
Armenians of Julfa (Isfahan) and Soviet Armenia has been organised in Julfa.
An extract from a message to Stalin from the people of Soviet Armenia published
in the Russian press of the 17th May is not without interest in this connexion.
It reads, “ This is why our blood brothers abroad, whose lot continues to be bitter
and heavy, look with so much admiration on our great advancements, meet with
such love from Soviet Azarbaijan and accept with such gratitude the many-sided
help afforded them by the Soviet Union.” The new Archimandrite of the Julfa
see has returned to Armenia for a short visit. His Majesty’s Consul reports that
although outwardly he abstains from expressing political views, in secret he
encourages the Tudeh party.
18. An eminent Moslem priest from Soviet Russia, styled by the Persian
press the Sheikh ul Islam of the Caucasus, has arrived in Tabriz and is to visit
Qum and Meshed. The object of his visit may be to convince the Persian priest
hood that Soviet principles are not injurious to Islam.
19. India has been given some attention lately not only in Russian papers
such as The War and the Working Ctass, but also on similar lines in the Russian-
inspired Persian press. The theme generally is : How can it be said that victory
has brought freedom while the people of India and Africa are captive- and
enslaved ?
Polish Interests
In Tehran
In Isfahan
In Ahwaz
1,793
938
1,131
3,862
Iraqi Interests.
21 Abbas Mehdi Beg, Iraqi Minister in Persia, Has left Tehran on
relinquishment of his appointment.