Coll 28/97(2) ‘Persia; Diaries. Tehran Intelligence summaries. No 1 to 50 of 1946.’ [‎6r] (11/292)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
SECRET.
Witli the Compliments
of the
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12 MAR 1946
January 30, 1946.
Section 1.
^, r E 905/315/34] Copy No. 142
Military A ttache’s Intelligence Summary No. 3 ; Secret, for the Period
\Ath January to 20^/i January, 1946 .—(Communicated in Tehran Despatch
No. 27 of ttnd January; Received 30zA January)
Persian A ffairs.
Political.
DURING the past week the Cabinet and Deputies have been wandering about
m a political Kavir. Lacking chart, compass or objective, they are yet surprised
that they have not attained their journey’s end. Having finally rejected the
Anglo-American suggestion of a tripartite advisory commission, the Government
wasted a precious fortnight before it decided to appeal to the U.N.O. Having
announced its intention to do so, it neither follows it up with detailed instructions
to its representative nor seeks the agreement of the Majlis to what it had done.
In regard to Deputy Teh ranch i’s interpellation of the 30th December, the Prime
Minister has come to an agreement with its author that he will withdraw it, not
in order that Hakimi may remain in office, but in order that he may resign.
Another Deputy has made a fresh interpellation with a view to retaining Hakimi
for, according to the law, a Prime Minister may not resign till he has replied
to an interpellation. Dr. Musaddiq, consistent only in his inconsistency, at first
urged an appeal to the U.N.O. during his attacks on the Anglo-American
suggestion, but now, when the appeal has been made, states that he did not really
urge this but merely wanted Persia to retain the right to do so. Hakimi is reputed
to desire to regain the support of some of his former adherents who, alarmed at
the appeasement tactics of Nariman and Saleh, had fallen away. He cannot,
according to the law, purge his Cabinet of these two by dismissing them. He
intends to resign and re-form his Cabinet without them. He does not appear
to realise that he may not be re-elected, and that this will pave the way for
Qawam-us-Saltaneh, whose intentions, if elected, of giving the Russians what
they want have already been made known. Neither does he appear to realise
that the resignation of a Government, which a moment before made an appeal
to the U.N.O., will have a disastrous effect on the reception of that appeal. To
complete this Mad Hatter’s tea party, a group of generals, announcing themselves
as disgusted with Hakimi s inertia and its effect on Persia’s security, are planning
to overthrow him and form a Cabinet themselves under the leadership of no other
than Qawam-us-Saltaneh!
Internal Security.
A zerbaijan.
2. The elections for the municipality of Tabriz have been held by the
Azerbaijan National Government. The council will consist of sixty-five members
with a smaller Executive Committee. Similar councils, but smaller will be
elected shortly for other towns in Azerbaijan.
_ ?■ The . formation of a Government trading company with a capital of
20 million rials has been announced. Half the capital is to be subscribed by the
public with easy payment terms for workers and peasants wishing to obtain
shares The company will undertake all export and import trade and will ensure
that all profits are returned to Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister of the Azerbaijan
National Government has announced the introduction of legislation to regulate
trade. He also mentions negotiations through “ proper channels ” to establish
direct trade relations with neighbouring foreign countries. The Azerbaijan
Ministry of Finance announces that all goods entering Azerbaijan must nav
customs duties whether they have paid elsewhere in Persia or not '
[74—18]