File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎477r] (601/1080)

CONFIDENTIAL.
Intelligence Summary No. 33 for the week ending August 13th, 1921.
192. — Khorasan.
Meshed. — Loved, Politics. —The situation created on the one hand by the
usurpation of the provincial governorship by Muhammad Taqi Khan and his sub
sequent recalcitrancy and, on the other hand, by the determination of the Tehran
Government to exercise its right of appointment and not to be jockeyed into accept- '
ing a self-elected person as Governor-General of Khorasan, has been working up
for a crisis throughout the week.
The motives impelling Muhammad Taqi Khan along the path he has chosen,
are difficult to divine. At one time he seems to be persuaded that Persia is trembl
ing on the brink of an abyss at the bottom of which is anarchy and that he, and he
alone, is able to rescue her from this impending fate; at another time, he affords
the impression that he is a monument of self centred egoism, incapable of realising
that others are equally able to grace the chief gubernatorial office in Khorasan.
Again, he acts and behaves like a man baulked of a vulgar ambition, ready out of
chagrin to spill the blood of his rank and file and of that of those opposed to him.
At other times, the observer wonders if the qualities—or defects—of austerity and
asceticism are the-outward and visible signs of an inward and dormant irrespon
sibility.
Whatever these motives, whatever their genesis, they have compelled him
at last to adopt a frankly militant attitude towards the Persian Government.
*
The first expression of this latest phase has already been noted in these pages,
namely, the despatch of a squadron of mounted Gendarmes to Sabzewar as an ad
vance party whose mission would be—according to the testimony of a Gendarme
officer—to oppose the i icoming Governor-General by force should he have an escort
exceeding thirty men.
The second expression of hostile intentions occurred at a valedictory dinner
given at the acting Governor-GeneraTs residence on the night of the 10th August
where toasts were drunk to Major Ismail Khan who was due to leave Meshed in
command of the main body directed on Sabzewar. At this dinner Colonel Muham
mad Taqi Khan made a speech in which he exhorted his officers to cultivate patriot
ism. He referred to the possibility of his own death for he might fall a victim to
the political situation. He, therefore, charged his guests to write of him to his
mother.
The assembled officers pledged him their support.
On the afternoon of the 13th, the main body mentioned above, consisting of
200 infantry, 100 sowars, 70 artillerymen, 4 mountain guns, 2 Lewis guns, and
furgon transport left Meshed with orders to proceed to Sabzewar but was halted
at Turq Sarai, the first posting stage on the Meshed-Tehran Road.
Prior to the start of this column, Colonel Muhammad Khan was informed by
His Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General that the incoming. Governor-General
will not be accompanied by a force when travelling to assume his appointment.
He had, therefore, no reason for launching this column even as far as Turq Sarai,
the advance party being able' to detain the Governor-General at Sabzewar owing
to his being unescorted, should such detention be part of Muhammad t Taqi Khan’s
intentions.
The attitude of the citizens of Meshed is dictated by their adherence to
Muhammad Taqi Khan, their dread of the Governor-General, a Bakhtiari chief
with a reputation, or their adherence to the Quwam-us-Saltaneh tradition. These
convictions naturally group those who confess to them. The first two categories
have been striving to gain the ^ear of the di majores at Tehran by means of tele
graphic appeals for a recognition of Muhammad Taqi Khan as Governor-General
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