Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎560r] (1122/1237)

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Britlah Legat &fo,.
T3HRAH, “Ah
19th May, 1942.
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With reference tn i'v t .^1 ^p-tw-i Ho.OSS X liave the honour to
transmit herewith the text of ine Persian iiinister for War’s
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7
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report to the Frime Minister on his visit to Hezaieh to examine
the recent disturbances in that area. This report lias been
obtained from Most Secret sources.
2. As you will see, G-eneral Jehanbani gives as his opinion-
that the cause of the disorders v/as first, the action of the
Gendarmerie at Gezaieh involving the death of three Kurds,!a~«t jccc-M
the fact that the Kurds were confident that the riussians would
not oppose them.
3. There is a good deal of evidence to show that the
Russian^ authorities in Azerbaijan did not realize in time how
serious the situation was, but as you are av/are from ir$r tele
grams, they have now started to co-operate with the fersian
C-ovemment both by allowing 1,500 Persian troops tp be station
ed in the district and by posting Russian troops there themselves
with instructions to prevent disorder. The investigations of
the Minister of War and the course of events themselves seem
to show that the Russians were not in any way directly responsible
for the disorders and I do not think that any tiling more than the
long inherited desire of the Kurds for loot and plunder and the
spineless inefficiency and tactlessness of the local authorities
is necessary to explain their origin. The continuation of such
disorders which are liable to set Itorkey, Russia, Persia and
ourselves by the ears, is obviously in the Axis interest, but I
can only say that no evidence whatever of direct txis inspiration
is at present available. If ^xis agents were in any way re
sponsible, they have, I think, acted from the Turkish and not
the Persian side of the frontier.
4. Naturally it is a delicate matter for us tc intervene
directly in a question of internal security, in the Russian zone.
I have, however, done everything possible to induce the Prime
Minister to tackle the problem efficiently. I have also endeavour
ed to persuade the Soviet Ambassador of tie danger of further
disorders, of the necessity of enabling the 1 ersian Government to
maintain order, and of the great desirability of reassuring the
Turkish Ambassador; and finally I have done what I can to reassure
the Turkish Ambassador myself by communicating to him all the
information available which would show that the disorderly elements
were being held in check and that the trouble was spontaneous
and not of some Machiavellian origin and intent. I hope that with
the despatch of Persian troops and the stationing of Russian troops
in the Area, the situation may speedily improve.
5. I am sending copies of this despatch to H.M.Ambassador at
Kuibyshev, H.M.Ambassador at \nkara, H.M.Minister of State, Cairo
H.M.Ambassador Baghda d,Tthe Government of India.
''and to')
15JUN 942
P'DIA OFFICF
have the honour to be with the highest respect,
3ir,
Your most obedient, humble Bervant,
Thelnr,Hon. Anthony Kden,
P.O., M.C., Ll.P#. etc.etc.
THE FOREIGN OFF ICS.
(Sgd.) R. W. BULLARD.