Coll 28/112A ‘Persia. Tabriz – Monthly despatches of internal situation in Azerbaijan & misc. reports.’ [‎609r] (1220/1237)

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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
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November 27. 1941.
CONFIDENTIAL.
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123
Section 2.
Copy No.
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[E 7845/42/34i]
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Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden. — {Umm-md-Umember 27.)
(No. 179.)
FIIS Majesty’s representative presents his compliments to His Majesty’s
Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and has the honour to transmit
herewith a copy of Tabriz despatch No. 46 of the 3rd November. 1941, respecting
the situation in Persian Azerbaijan. oJU© ^
Tehran, November 11, 194F
Enclosure.
Consul Cook to Sir R. Bullard.
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(No. 46. Confidential.)
Sir, Tabriz, November 3, 1941.
I HAVE the honour to report that the situation at Tabriz remains quiet,
with an admittedly greater feeling of confidence among the local population, now
that some of the Russian troops have withdrawn, as promised. It is even said
that a few Tabriz residents have returned here from Tehran, where they found
general conditions no better and the cost of living much dearer. Even so, it
cannot be pretended that conditions are anything like normal while trade is so
bad and money so short. The prices of foreign goods in the shops are even more
fantastic than they were three months ago, examples being : 50 rials (75.) for a
tin of sardines, 420 rials (£3) for a bottle of whisky or brandy, and 10 rials
(Is. 5rf.) per metre for ordinary flexible electrical cord. Of course, nobody buys
at such prices, and it is difficult to see why retailers should preclude any chance
of sale or turnover in this way.
2. The Russian Trade Organisation, on the other hand, is reported to be
doing a comparatively flourishing business by importing goods without paying
customs duties, apparently claiming that Soviet imports should be exempt from
Persian duties in what is an occupied zone. This might perhaps carry weight
if they were supplying their own soldiers and officials only, but the goods they
are bringing in include crockery and glass-ware, alcoholic liquors, cheap cloth
and silk or artificial silk shawls and kerchiefs, obviously for the general popula
tion. I have already alluded to the huge profits the Russian authorities must be
making on the sugar they are bringing here (equally duty-free)—at a time when
British Cabinet Ministers and the B.B.C. declare that we are sending sugar to
Russia from the United Kingdom. The local director of customs has been
instructed from Tehran, however, to insist on the payment of duty on Russian
imports; an impasse has been reached, and M. Agaronoff, the Torgpred repre
sentative here, has gone to Tehran to discuss the matter at the Soviet Embassy.
3. I learn that, from wherever the money may have been found, the salaries
and arrears of local officials in most departments, including the police, have now
been paid, and certain army officers and non-commissioned officers held up here
for lack of pay have been enabled to leave for Tehran and elsewhere or have been
enrolled in the new gendarmerie. Meanwhile, the 200 regular army officers
interned by the Soviet military authorities in the first days of the occupation
are still cooped up in a miserable building week after week for no apparent
reason, except that no orders for their release have been received from Moscow.
4. Major-General Novikoff left Tabriz last week for an unknown destination
and has not yet returned. In his absence a party of five British officers and war
correspondents arrived unannounced, wishing to take pictures of and describe the
lives of Russian soldiers. The major-general left in charge declined, in spite of
[24—21]
RECd. FOIL* BERt,
160EC1941
INDIA OFFICE The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. !
)
*