'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎13r] (25/96)

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Head of the Caspian Fisheries Board again 1940.
A difficult post which he seems to occupy with
some success, as he knows Russian well and is
often able to frustrate, by a little diplomacy, the
Russian plans to gain complete control of that
undertaking. Minister at Lisbon, October 1944.
99. Nafisi, Hassan (Musharaf-ul-Douleh)
Third son of the late Dr. Nazem-ul-Atibba. Born
in Tehran 1896. Educated in Persia and went to
France in 1909, where he graduated from the
Lyc^e Henri IV. Returned to Persia in 1914 and
joined the Ministry of Finance. On the staff of
that Ministry till 1921, when he was appointed
Director of the Inspection Department of the
Tehran Municipality. Left for France in 1922,
where he studied law for two years. Obtained the
degree of doctor of law from the University of
Paris, and the diploma of the School of Political
Science. Returned to the Ministry of Finance for
two years in 1925. Assistant to the procureur
g£n4ral of the Court of Appeal in 1927, and in 1928
president of the Tribunal of Commerce. Joined
the staff of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company as legal
adviser in 1928. Visited London 1929. Left the
company’s service in 1980, and set up private
practice as an advocate in 1980; but remained
the company’s lawyer. Has one of the best legal
l^^ctices in Tehran. Visited London again in 1933
and 1935.
Minister of Finance in Feroughi’s Cabinet 1941,
and did good work in the difficult task of recon
structing the country’s finances on a new basis.
Resigned with that Cabinet early in 1942 and has
not since been employed. He now contributes
articles on financial subjects to newspapers, and
was the author of a brochure on inflation and how
to combat it. Persian Government representative to
International Bank in 1946. Not popular with the
ordinary run of Persians because he despises flattery
and circumlocutions.
Married the daughter of Amin-ed-Douleh in 1931.
Speaks English and French. A very sensible man,
with a sound knowledge of local and French law;
has been very helpful on many occasions to this
Legation on legal points.
100. Nafisi, Said
^^econd son of the late Dr. Nazem-ul-Atibba.
^^tn in Tehran 1893. Educated in Persia and
^■»iater in France. Returned to Persia in 1911, and
was employed in the Ministry of the Interior.
Transferred to the Ministry of Public Works in
1916, where he held different posts till 1927. Since
then has been professor of the Persian language
and literature in various schools. Has also done
a good deal of journalism for the Ittila'at, the
Journal de Teheran and other newspapers. Has
also been active in promoting the first Persian
cinema film. Has a great reputation as a prose
writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. . Author of a life of the poet Rudaki, and
of a French-Persian dictionary. Published some
violently anti-British articles in the local press
when the D’Arcy Concession was cancelled. Has
a certain knowledge of the Pahlavi language. A
member of the Iranian Academy (Farhangistan).
A scholar of sorts and an active propagandist
of pro-Russian vieWs. Visited Moscow in autumn
. of 1945.
Prominent in the Soviet-Iranian Cultural Society.
. 101. Najm, Abul-Qasim.
Bom in Tehran 1893. Son of the late Najm-ul-
Mulk, a noted astronomer.
Educated at the School for Political Science at
Tehran. Entered the service of the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs in 1911. Chief accountant at the
Ministry 1920-24, and again from 1926-28. Trans
ferred to the Ministry of Finance, and appointed
Director-General there in 1930. Under-Secretary
to that Ministry in 1933. In November of that
year appointed Minister to Germany.
Minister in Tokyo early 1940; recalled on rupture
of relations 1942. Said to have expressed admira
tion for Japanese methods. Ambassador at Kabul
July 1943.
A polite and hard-working official, whose appoint
ment to a foreign post caused general surprise, as
he does not shine at foreign languages and had
had no experience of life abroad. Ambassador
at Kabul 1943-45. His Majesty’s Minister, Kabul,
reported that he was friendly but ineffective, his
co-operation with His Majesty’s Legation being
adequate but no more. Understands English
tolerably well. Minister in the short-lived Hakimi
Government in the summer of 1945 but had not
left Kabul when that Government fell. Minister
for Foreign Affairs in Hakimi’s Cabinet of
November 1945. He did his best to deal with the
Azerbaijan crisis but the difficulties were too great
for him.
102. Nakhai Muhammad
Born about 1902. Educated in Persia; speaks
French.
Secretary of the Persian Legation in Brussels
from 1928 for some years, and then remained in
Belgium teaching Persian. Also studied law, and
eventually returned to Persia to join the National
Bank as head of its legal department. Later
transferred to the Ministry of Finance as private
secretary to the Minister (General Amirkhosrovi).
1941 became president of the Exchange Commis
sion. At the end of 1943 private secretary to the
Prime Minister (Soheily). Has visited England,
and his thesis for his doctorate was a dissertation
on Le Petrols en Iran.
Has rank of Director-General. In autumn 1943
helped to organise Government Employees’ and
Tenants’ Association. President of Association of
Iranian graduates of Belgian Universities.
Minister of Commerce in Sa'id’s reconstituted
Cabinet of August 1944.
Minister of Agriculture in Sadr’s Government in
1945.
Capable, intelligent and well-disposed towards
us. Brother of Dr. Hussein Quds. Brother-in-law
of Najm.
103. Nakhchevan, Muhammad (Amir
Muwassaq).
Bom at Tehran about 1882. His father was an
officer in the Cossack Brigade. Educated partly
in the Russian Military School at Tiflis. On his
return to Persia he joined the Cossack Brigade.
Director of the Military Academy at Tehran in
1922, as a reward for loyalty to Reza Shah; he had
previously been engaged in the fighting in Gilan
with the Bolsheviks and Kuchik Khan. In 1928
appointed Acting Chief of the General Staff.
Acting Minister of War in August 1934; attained
the rank of Amir Lashkar in 1935. Relieved of
his functions as Acting Minister in April 1936.
An exceedingly stupid, fat man, who appears
to owe his high appointments to a habit of carrying
cut orders with no comment; never holding any
opinion of his own, he never went far wrong, and
finally fell simply from the fact that his stupidity
got on his royal master’s nerves. Head of the
Persian Staff College, 1942.
Speaks Russian, French and a little English.
104. Nakhchevan, Ahmad
Born at Tehran about 1893. The son of an
emigrant from Nakhchevan, in the Caucasus.
Educated in Persia and France. Entered the
Cossack Division School in 1910. Commissioned
in the cavalry in 1913. From 1913 to 1920 served