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him has increased from many influential quarters. A consular report states that
Reza Hekmat, Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Fakhir (F.O. 86-M.A. 112) claims to have arranged his
recall and is trying to secure his own appointment as Governor-General.
Bakhtiari.
13. An unconfirmed report states that Qawam-us-Saltaneh has dismissed
Murteza Quli Khan from his governorship of Bakhtiari.
A pfointments.
14. —(i) General Farajullah Aghovli (F.O. 23-M.A. 6) to be Chief of the
General Staff vice General Hasan Arfa.
(ii) General Purzand to be General Officer Commanding 3rd (Hamadan)
Division—the new division which is forming at Hamadan and
which is earmarked for the reoccupation of Azerbaijan.
Both of the above named were interned by the Allies during the war. General
Arfa’s distrust of Qawam-us-Saltaneh, his hatred of the Russians and their agents
the Tudeh, and his implacable hostility to the Democrat rebels have long marked
him out as the first victim should Qawam-us-Saltaneh come into power. His
strong stand against appeasement and the energetic measures which he took to
safeguard the capital against any Russian inspired rising have earned him the
respect of nearly all patriotic Persians. He has, however, certain inherent defects
of character which have alienated the sympathies of many who would have other
wise given him their support. He is excitable, overbearing and harsh and adopts
a tone of moral superiority which exasperates his fellow countrymen. He is a
good hater and relentlessly pursues all whom he imagines to be the friends of
his predecessor and rival, General Razmara. To strengthen his position (as he
vainly thought) he has intrigued with politicians and newspaper editors. He
has founded a party in the army. He has a spy-hunting mania and daily discovers
plots against the realm and even against the life of the Shah himself. His
departure is a loss, for, despite his inverted patriotism which sometimes showed
itself in xenophobia, he has co-operated wholeheartedly with the British, believing
that their policy and Persia's were one and the same, i.e., the continued existence
of Persia as an independent State.
Personalities.
15. Reference paragraph 12 (i) of last Intelligence Summary, a personality
note on Muzaffar Firuz is given at Appendix “ A ” to this Summary.
f Reference paragraph 1 (vii) of this summary, a personality note on Ahmad
’Ali Sipihr (Muvarrikhu ’d-Dauleh) is given at Appendix “ B ” to this summary.]
British Interests.
16. A press communique states that Mr. J. H. Le Rougetel, C.M.G., M.C.,
has been appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador in Tehran to succeed Sir Reader
Bullard, K.C.B., C.M.G., C.I.E. '
17. On the 12th February a clash occurred between a patrol of Indian
troops and a patrol of Persian military The Indian patrol opened fire upon a
Persian watchman whom they mistook for a wire thief. When a Persian military
patrol arrived upon the scene they were mistaken for reinforcements for the thieves
and were fired upon. Two Persian soldiers were wounded.
A merican Interests.
18. Complaints have been received of the indiscipline of crews of American
ships at Abadan and Khorramshahr, and also of smuggling of arms by them. This
is on a small scale but nevertheless affects adversely the security of the area. The
arms are of two kinds : (a) war souvenir rifles of Japanese pattern held under
permit and (h) rifles illegally bought in Far Eastern ports. Both are sold by
seamen to the local inhabitants.
Russian Interests.
19. A new Russian vice-consul, Mr. Nicolas Denisov, has been appointed to
Isfahan. His previous post has been in Pahlevi and he is reported to have served
in Kabul for four years prior to that. The staff of the Russian Consulate in