Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎566r] (1134/1237)

3
the Turkish Consul-General here is dehnitely persuaded that the Germans will
succeed in breaking up the Russian defence and that there will be serious disorder
in these parts before the Germans can take control.
7. As Mr. Cook indicated in his despatch No. 11 of the 23rd April, the new
Qpa^sul of the United States of America has more or less publicly declared himsell
h oe a watchdog against possible Russian aggression. He told me on the
28th April that he had found the Soviet Chief of Staff and the consul-general
together at the Soviet Consulate-General and that they had asked him whether
or not they should intervene and that when he left them they had determined
not to do so. At the time I thought it possible that at some stage the same
question might be put to me and accordingly I enquired by telegram whether
you agreed that the Russians should be encouraged to support the gendarmes.
The question was never put, however, and I now think that the American Consul
was consulted not because there was any intention to take his advice, but to see
into his mind. It may do the Russians no harm to know that the United States
Consul is convinced that they have ulterior motives.
8. After consideration of all the facts, distorted as they are by rumour and
fear, and having heard what my colleagues have to say, I am sure that the
Russians are justified in saying that it is the Persians themselves who have
touched off this explosion. No doubt the explosive were already there; the Kurds
were bound sooner to start shooting after so many years of restraint. But the
weakness of the Government's team at Rezaieh, the speed with which Governors-
General have left compared with their reluctance to arrive and the nervousness
of the “ A jams ” in general were an invitation to an ebullition of the Kurdish
warlike spirit. It was Sefihang Hashimi’s visit to Rezaieh which brought matters
to a head. An order was issued that Kurds must not carry arms into the town,
and Serhang Hashimi told his gendarmes to see that it was enforced. A number
of incidents followed in which the Kurds considered that they were attacked by
the Persians as part of a scheme to restore tyrannical control. A son of Sheikh
Taha, riding in Rezaieh in a carriage with his rifle in his hand, was dragged
down and beaten. A Kurd wearing a turban had his face slapped. Two sons
and three servants of Hadji Agha, carrying rifles in or near the town, were
attacked by gendarmes and wiped out. The Kurds knew that the Persians lacked
the force to back up this attitude; they apparently counted on a free hand from
the Russians, and so the trouble started.
9. Now at last a representative of standing has been sent from Tehran.
The Minister for War reached Rezaieh to-night, and with him were the new
Governor-General for Western Azerbaijan, Dr. Marzeban, the Governor-General
for Eastern Azerbaijan and the Soviet Chief of Staff from Tabriz. The Minister
received the Consular Corps on the afternoon of the 6th while still at Tabiiz.
He said that he had practically secured Russian co-operation and that he expected
to be able to send a division of Persian troops to be stationed at Ardebil, Tabriz
and Rezaieh. He hoped that Persian troops from the south and from the east
would converge on Rezaieh and crush the Kurds, but at the same time he said the
present was not the moment for a final settlement. As regards the vexed question
of carrying arms, he said he contemplated for the time being some arrangement
such as obtains in Iraq, where licences are issued freely to enable Kurds to carry
weapons and to be within the law. To-day it is said that the Pi ime Minister has
telegraphed to him urging him not to be too lenient with the Kinds, and foi the
moment Persian confidence is climbing steeply out of the abyss where it was
plunged for the past ten days. It will indeed be interesting to observe what will
become of the Kurdish demands, how far the Russians may assist, or at least
permit, the Persians to restore their authority, and Whether the Persians will
show wisdom and restraint if they do get the upper hand.
10. It should be stated that, whereas the Soviet Consul-General alleged that
the Kurds of the north-west had been assisted by others from the south and from
the Iraqi frontier, information so far obtained from the Persians themselves and
from a Kurd living in Mehabad is definite that no tribes were involved except
those living in the area along the frontier west of the lake. Salmas was not
involved. The total number of rifles may be put at 1,000. or 1,500 at the most,
according to the Persians. . . . . , A • u a
11 It was rumoured from time to time that Assyrians and Armenians had
ioined the rebel Kurds, and no doubt there were individuals from the minorities
who were ready to loot and wipe off old scores. In general, however, there seems