File 1749/1921 ‘Persian Gulf:- Residency news summaries 1921-25’ [‎132v] (279/494)

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Beyond giving you an account of the incident it was not mv intention to offer any
other remarks. But I have been very impressed with the following facts
]. The organisation, and especially the daring, of the attack on the troops by the
Kuhgilus in broad daylight. _. , . ., . , , . . .
2 The thoroughness with which the Kuhgilus did their raid, in robbing the lot,
not only of munition and arms, of animals and equipment, but even of food
and personal clothing, leaving them all, from commanding officer downwards,
practically naked. _ . ^ ,
3. The complete safety of the road for all caravans for the past two months prior
to this incident, and its safety immediately after it. Ihe guarding
arrangements appear to me this year better than I have ever seen or heard
of them before.
I am told, on the other hand, that the Kuhgilus were out to avenge the disgrace
brought on them by Bakhtiaris, who early in June or m the latter part of May killed
six of their number' in a raid, and, cutting off the heads of three of them, brought them
to tbe kbans for a show at Chigakbor. „ . . „ „
Yours faithfullv,
m/y. young.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Extracts from a Private Letter from His Majesty's Consul at Ahwaz to His Majesty g
Minister.
Ispahan, August 19, 1922.
THE Bakhtinri situation, as viewed by the khans themselves in the light of the
recent iShald affair, seems to be as follows :—
The Persian Government suspects that the attack on the troops by Kuhgilu
tribesmen was engineered by the Bakhtiaris, probably under an arrangement made last
spring with the Sheikh of Mohammerah ; it will probably, however, not find itself
strong enough to put its suspicions into action, hut will take the line of least resistance
by leaving the task of punishing the Kuhgilus to the Bakhtiaris, at the same time
giving them assistance and reinstating them in the governorship of Behbehan. The
khans, however, believe that the Persian Government means to tackle them at the
earliest opportunity, and describe the recent negotiations with Soulat-ed-Dowleh and
affinrs in Arak as part of deliberate scheme by Reza Khan to surround and eventually
subdue them.
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. Ashjaa is a very sick man, probably a dying one, and hm immediate
resignation of the Ispahan governorship is inevitable on medical grounds. Lhe question
of his successor is a difficult one, and its solution should, in my opinion, give a pointer
to the course affairs are likely to take. Should he be succeeded by another Bakhtiaii
it would indicate that Reza Khan’s plans are not yet ready, and it would mean their
postponement, if not their abandonment; but should a Governor from outside be
appointed (which is presumably the object of sending a large military force to Ispahan)
it will be a sign that Bakhtiaris are to be ousted from all governorships, in which event
all the khans, with the possible exception of Samsam-es-Sultaneh, who is privileged
owing to his age and dignity, would retire to Chahar Mahal and there await develop
ments. The Ispahan district would become unsafe from Bakhtiari robber gangs, and it
would be long before the Persian Government would dare to attack the khans in then
own country, while in their alliance with the Sheikh of Mohammerah they have a
powerful ally in the south.
Public feeling in Ispahan among the bulk of the merchants and the poorer classes
is, as far as I hear, setting against us. The wounded warriors from Shalil are visited in
the military hospital daily and given presents of money and flowers, and violen
speeches have been made by visitors (merchants and seyyids of Ispahan) accusing tne
British of having instigated the Kuhgilu attack and of being the enemies of Persia.
These visits are inspired by the Prussian consul, and this change of feeling is largely du«
to Bolshevik propaganda. One of the Ispahan newspapers is subsidised by the Russian
consulate, and Bolshevik emissaries (men and women) constantly visit in the city an
women’s quarters and preach their doctrines. For the better-class audiences t n
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preaching is largely anti-British, but for the labourers and such-like it 16
communism on lines so successfully employed in the Bokhara revolution.
So far progress has been slow, but money is being spent, and the elements of dange
are there and need watching.