Coll 28/97(2) ‘Persia; Diaries. Tehran Intelligence summaries. No 1 to 50 of 1946.’ [‎16r] (31/292)

[75—43]
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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT M
PERSIA.
SECRET.
March 5, 1946.
Section 1.
[E 1962/318/34]
Copy No.
Military Attache's Intelligence Summary No. 7, Secret, for the Period
\lth February to YJth February, 1946 .—(Communicated in Tehran Despatch
No. 57 of \§th February; Received- 5th March.)
Persian A /fairs.
Political.
Qawam-us-Saltaneh has made up his Cabinet. Their names and portfolios
are as follows :—
(i) Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of the
Interior : Ahmed Qawam (Qawam-us-Saltaneh), (F.O. 183—M.A. 295).
(ii) Minister without Portfolio : Dr. Ahmed Matin Daftari (F.O. 131—
M.A. 168).
(iii) Minister of Justice : Anushirwan Sepahbudi (F.O. 205—M.A. 282).
(iv) Minister of War: General Ahmedi (F.O. 16—M.A. 23).
(v) Minister of Finance: Murteza Quli Bavat (Saham-us-Sultan)
(F.O. 47—M.A. 65).
(vi) Minister of Roads and Communications: General Muhammad
Hussein Firuz (F.O. 72—M.A. 94).
(vii) Minister of Industry and Mines : Sipehr Muwarrikh-ud-Dowleh.
(viii) Minister of Education : Bahar, Malik-ush-Shuara.
(ix) Minister of Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones : Saham-ud-din Ghaffari
(Zuka-ed-Dowleh) (F.O. 75—M.A. 97).
(x) Minister of Health : Dr. Manuchihr Iqbal (F.O. 94).
The retention by Qawam of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in his own
hands is understandable when he is to lead the deputation to Moscow. More
sinister is his retention of the Ministry of the Interior, in view of the forthcoming
elections.
(ii)—a Minister of Justice and Prime Minister under Reza Shah; was
interned by the Allies;
(iii) —was Minister for Foreign Affairs in Sadr’s Cabinet;
(iv) —represents a sop to the extreme Right, without whose support Qawam’s
slender Majlis majority of one would be speedily transformed into a
minority. The Russians are believed to have opposed this appoint
ment very strongly;
(v) —an ex-Prime Minister, needs no introduction as an outstanding dolt;
(vi)—was a member of the last Cabinet, but resigned. He made no secret
of his views that appeasement of the Russians was the only practicable
policy. The family estates are in Azerbaijan;
(vii)—is chiefly renowned for being a political go-between, posing as being in
the innermost councils of both the British and Russian Embassies. Is
mistrusted by the Shah, as by everybody, but is used by him as a sort
of political pimp;
(viii)—is a notable poet who has recently sold himself to the Tudeh:
(ix)—belongs to a family suspected of having contacts with the Japanese
Legation in Tehran during the war;
(x) —has mixed little in politics and has some good ideas of improving
Persia’s health services. He has not much energy and will cut little
ice in this Cabinet. Is a brother of Khosro Iqbal the ex-internee
editor of Iran-i-Ma.
The above were presented to H.I.M. The Shah on the 14th February and were
due to be presented to the Majlis on the 17th February.
2. The composition of two Persian delegations to Moscow has been
announced. The first, a political mission, consisting of the following :—