Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎151v] (302/442)

1965
1966-
Supply (Committee)
Foreign Office.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
[Mr. Dillon.]
loyalty to them ? It appears that Mr. Shipley is
inclined to agree that the appointment might be given
to Shuja.”
And here is the reply sent by Sir George
Barclay on the 26th February, from
Teheran:—
" The opposition of the Persian Government to the
appointment of Shnja as Governor is as strong as ever.
The following telegram which has just reached me
from the Acting-Consul at Tabriz confirms my own
strong doubts whether he could be trusted to remain
loyal to the Persian Government : ‘The Khan of Maku
has been appointed by Shuja-ed-Dowleh, Governor-
General of Khoi, Salmas and Urmiua districts. Shuja
has taken this step in order to assure for himself the
Khan’s co-operation I am informed that all
this is part and parcel of a programme in favour of the
ex-Shah. In order to try and force the return of the
ex-Shah, a general rising of the population of Azerbaijan
will, I hear, be brought about in the Spring.’ ”
There are a number of further dispatches
showing that Shuja-e.d-Dowleh is organis
ing a Government in favour of the return
of the ex-Shah. The Government of Persia
at last sent to seek advice from the Russian
Consul and to request Shuja-ed-Dowleh to
clear out and to make way for a Governor
appointed by the Persian Government.
I want to know whether Shuja-ed-Dowleh
is still acting as Governor. If that be so,
how can the right hon. Gentleman say
that the British Government are acting in
good faith or in accordance with their
solemn pledge to the Persian people that
under no circumstances would they allow
the ex-Shah to come back if they are con
senting parties to the maintenance of one
of his chief agents and generals to one of
the most important cities in Northern
Persia, where he was convicted of having
spent months in organising rebellion ?
There is another who in the Protocol
signed by the Ministers of the Govern
ments of Russia and England is mentioned
as one of those who will never be sheltered
by the agents of either Government if
ever he returns to Persia. He returned
to Persia in the train of the ex-Shah last
winter, and he is now staying as the guest
at the summer quarters of the Russian
Consul at Tabriz, although the Russian
Government put their name to the
Protocol that if he ever returned
they would not entertain him. Why
is he staying there ? He is staying
there in order to organise for the ex-
Shah. In view of these facts, is it any
wonder that the Persian people who are
committed to the revolution and the
friends of the Persian people in this
country should have been alarmed when
they read in the “ Times ” of the 3rd July
the following announcement from the then
Teheran correspondent, a gentleman
singularly -well informed and whose tele
gram bears the impress of the “ Times ”
newspaper. Here is what he says:—
‘‘The ex-Shah’s treasurer and private secretary left
Odessa some days ago for Vienna. Mohammed Ali
himself is said to have either already left or to be about
to leave for Europe. Carlsbad is announced as his des
tination. It will be remembered that a journey to
Carlsbad was announced last July, when preparations
for his return to Persia were completed. His agents
here and in Europe display great activity, which causes
much anxiety. Tabriz, where his supporter, Shuja-ed-
Dowleh, is Governor, appears to offer him more attrac
tive ground than the Turkoman country, which was
the scene of his recent failure.”
I put to the right hon. Gentleman yester
day a question whether he keeps himself
acquainted with the proceedings of those
gentlemen, and he could not give me any
answer except to say that he was in com
munication with the Russian Government.
On the last occasion, when we got word of
the departure of the ex-Shah from Odessa
I put various questions to the right hon.
Gentleman and the answer was always
the same, and the first we heard was that
he had landed on the southern shores of
the Caspian. We were told that he crossed
Russia successfully disguised, but with
large boxes of ammunition. Does any
human being believe that 1 The disguise
was successful, because the Russian agents
got word to turn a blind eye upon this
gentleman, and the Foreign Secretary him
self, in a moment of humour, intimated
that the ex-Shah put on a false nose and a
false beard. I believe the Russian Gov
ernment were perfectly well aware of what
was going on when he left Odessa, and I
say that the conduct of the Russian Gov
ernment in maintaining this agent as
Governor of Tabriz, in spite of their
pledges that they would remove him and
make way for the Governor appointed by
the Persian Government, is proof positive
that they are in connivance with
the ex-Shah. What about the pro
mise of this country to maintain
the independence and integrity of Persia?
To this hour he has not been
*.0 r.M. allowed to take up his Govern
ment, and this is the most im
portant in the whole Empire of Persia, and
it is still governed by a red-handed agent
of the ex-Shah. What will the Foreign
Secretary do if this gentleman arrives in
Persia next week and beheads all his
enemies? All the best Nationalists in
abriz have already been beheaded, and
they were men of the highest possible
character, and, I am informed, exceedingly
honest and respectable men, whose only
ciime v\ as that they w*ere strong National
ists, and that is a crime in the eyes of the