File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎640r] (927/1080)

Intelligence Summary No. 15 for the week ending 9th April 1921,
10 -j. Locoi.—The outstanding event of the week lias been ths coup d’etai
ul Meshed . where, in imitation of events at the Capital, a revolution
directed against the provincial regime was planned and carried out.
The history of the motives leading to this move is obscure. Some time
previously—last autumn to be more exact—an officer of Persian Gendarmes,
Colonel Muhammad Taqi Khan, a Tabrezi, arrived ital Quohan where he
instituted considerable’ regeneration in the conduct and training of the
gendarmes. His stay was very short for he returned to Meshed for reasons
variously ascribed, among others being the chronic state of arrears of pay
of his command. Rumours arrived in the former town suggestive of strainted
relations between this officer and the Governor General, the former being
reported to have refused tea in the latter’s house so long as his men remained
without their pay.
No suspicion of any drastic action existed so that the events of the 13th
day of Nao Roz (2nd April) came as a considerable surprise to the local
community.
In accordance with Persian custom the Governor General spent the last
day of the Nao Roz out of doors and in a garden beyond the city. Upon his
return at sunset his motor car was stopped at the Ark Gate of the city by
armed gendarmes and he was informed by Colonel Muhammad Taqi Khan
that he was under arrest. At the same time many other officials of his
provincial government, also military and police officers, were arrested and
lodged ini the Gendarmerie headquarters*.
Throughout the ensuing week arrests of officials and wealthy citizens,
whose taxes were in arrears, were carried out, instructions being sent to
outlying districts to bring the various governors into Meshed under arrest.
Colonel Muhammad Taqi Khan called at the British Consulate General
the following day and, ob being asked if he had acted in accordance with
orders from the Capital, replied in the negative. He claimed to have acted
on his own initiative but agreeably to his general instructions received from
the Cabinet in Teheran some time previously wherein it was laid down that
he was responsible for the general safety of Khorasan. In what way and
by whom the safety of the province was threatened, inducing him to take
the action he did, has not transpired. It may be that Quwam-us-Sultaneh
meditated throwing off allegiance to the Central Government—and certain it
is that he was collecting from the province all the troops he could—or it may
be that the departure of the stabilising British detachment was likely to set
loose forces which were already at work to subvert the rule of the Governor
General himself.
Muhammad Taqi Khan is of the Zealot, the ascetic, type and is unmarried,
lie was in Germany during’ the war and was detained theie two years. He
speaks German fluently also French. It may _ be It was this European
experience which persuaded him of the necessity of rofoim of Peisian
administration and to follow the example set him b\ the leadei of Peisian
Cossacks at Teheran.
A few davs previous to this event a new Karguzar arrived from the
Capital. It is' suspected m some circles that he was the bringer of secret
instructions from the Cabinet to Muhammad Taqi Khan, but H. B. M. Consul
General has stated that news of the coup came as a surprise to Ministerial
officers.
Despite the paucity of his command and the combined preponderance of
the other combatant forces-the regular and irregu ar troops and the police-
Muhammad Taqi Khan’s arrangements have worked smoothlj. There nas
been no bloodshed and no overt opposition to the new order ol things
although certain officers are not wholly tiusted.
Arrests continue day by day while certain detenus have been released
under guarantee, or on parole.
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