The Administrative and Social History of the Qajar Period

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE QAJAR PERIOD

[The Story Of My Life]

VOLUME ill

From the "Agreement Cabinet" of Vosuq od-Dowleh to the End of the Constituent Assembly

Abdollah Mostofi

Translated from the Persian by his Daughter Nayer Mostofi Glenn

Mazda Publishers Costa Mesa, California 1997 Mazda Publishers Academic Publishers Since 1980 P.O. Box 2603 Costa Mesa, California 92626 http:www.mazdapub.com

Copyright© 1997 by Mazda Publishers Translation copyright© 1997 by Nayer Mostofi Glenn All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mustawf( Abd Allah, d. 1950. [Sharl;l-i zindigan'i-i man. English] The Administrative and Social History of the Qajar Period: the story of my life /by Abdallah Mostofi; translated from the Persian by his daughter Nayer Mostofi Glenn. p.cm. Includes index. Contents: v.L From Agha Mohammad Khan to Nasered-Din Shah (1794- 1896)-v. 2. From Mozaffared-Din Shah to Vosuq od-Dowleh's Anglo-Persian Agreement-v. 3. From the "Agreement C~binet'' ofVosuq od-Dowleh to the end of the Constituent Assembly. ISBN: 1-56859-041-S (hardcover: alk. paper) 1. Iran-Social conditions. 2. lran-History-Qajar dynasty, 1794-1925. 3. Mustawf( Abd Allah, d. 1950. I. Title. MN733.M813 1997 306'.0955-dc21 97-40041 CIP w ______· Ds:b~ ddJilnlL$wwi~ CONTENTS

Second Introduction, Gratitude and Defence xiii illustrations xvii

Preparation of the Second Cabinet of Vosuq od-Dowleh 721 The "Agreement Cabinet" of 1298 (1919) 722 The Prime Minister Broke His Word! 723 Back to Farming 723 Condemnation, Rejection and Repeal or the Annulment of the Agreement of the Prime Minister of Iran with the Government of Great Britain and His Excellency's Statement 725 Introduction 726 The Prime Minister's Statement and Final Decision of the Cabinet 726 The Text of the Agreement Between the Government of Great Britain and Persia 730 Copy of the Letter Enclosed with the Text of the Agreement 731 The Publication of "The Condemnation of the Agreement" 807 Opposition to the Agreement or, Courage 808 Return of Soltan Ahmad Shah to Iran 810 Resignation ofVosuq od-Dowleh 811 The Cabinet of Moshir od-Dowleh 812 The Difficulties 812 The Endeavors of Moshir od-Dowleh's Cabinet 813 Restraining Order of the Agreement 814 The Suppression of the Motajaserin 814 The Submission· of the Azerbaijan Rebels 815 Iran-Russia Relations Renewed 818 The Department of Tax Assessor 820 The Cabinet of Moshir od-Dowleh Resigns 821 Laying the Ground for the Coup 822 Bilateral Policy of Moshir od-Dowleh 823 Why did the British Choose the Wrong Way? 824 Lord Curzon is Angry 825 Useless Flattery 826 vi Contents

Turks did not Attack Iran, but Britain and Russia! 827 The Bolshoviks Never Attacked Iran to Make Defence Necessary 829 They Lie Even from the Pulpit in the 20th Century 831 The "Agreement" Did Not Go Through with All These Lies! 832 No Hope in Sight! 833 We Have Joined the High and the Mighty 834 Addressing my Fellow Countrymen! 834 Apology 834 After the Resignation of Moshir od-Dowleh 834 Sepahdar Azam (Fath-ollha Akbar) 835 Financial Status of the Government: D'Arcy Oil Concession 836 British Livelihood Depends on Iran 838 Where Another Truth is Surfaced 840 Money Spent on a Love Affair is Money Lost! 840 Iranian Nation Laughs at These Funny Faces! 841 General Economy 842 Funeral Expenses 844 Domestic Politics 844 Foreign Policy 845 The Cabinet of Sepahdar A'zam 847 A Timely Anecdote 848 Make a Collection of These Letters 848 The Dismissal of Esterlaski 849 The Formation of the Cabinet 851 The British Embassy Admits the Failure of Imperialism 851 The High Advisory Session 852 General Dissatisfaction with the Cabinet of Sepahdar 854 Iran-Russia Agreement 855 Threat 857 The Agreement Approved 857 The Agreement Between Iran and the Soviet Union 858 A Bad Gambler 860 The Bogeyman Left! 861 Unnecessary Anticipation 862 Poor Excuse for Resignation of a Poorer Excuse of a Prime Minister 863 Preliminary Preparations for the Coup 863 In Search of a Military Agent for the Coup 861 The Civilian Agent Hard to Come By · 868 The Eve of the Coup of February 22, 1921 873 How Did the People of Tehran Hear the News? 875 The Royal Court Beggar 87 5 Contents vii

They Arrest the Robber and the Robbed Both! 876 I Command! 877 Prime Minister Seyyed Zia 879 The Statement of the Prime Minister 880 The Statement of the Chief of the Cossack Division 885 The Cabinet of Seyyed Zia 887 Improvement of Ministry of Finance 888 The New and the Old Municipal System 891 A Persian Evening (Soiree) 896 Seyyed Zia's City Improvements 898 The Municipal System of Tehran Under Reza Shah Pahlavi 898 Karaj River to Provide Water for Tehran 899 New Streets, Asphalt, Private and Public Buildings 899 The Capital Services as Precedent for the Provinces 900 Criticism 901 Takeover of the Old Cemeteries 903 Seyyed Zia's Plans for the Provinces 906 The Official Cancellation of the Agreement by the Government of Britain 907 The Statement of the Prime Minister Regarding the Cancellation of the Agreement 908 Foreign Troops Clear out of Iran 909 Announcement of the Prime Minister 910 A Puppet Show 911 Preparation for the Downfall of Seyyed Zia od-Din 912 Secretly Breaking Fast! 916 In Search of A New Prime Minister 918 Prrime Minister Qavarn os-Saltaneh and His Linage 919 Cabinet of Qavarn os-Saltaneh and His Statement 921 The Increase of the Farmers' Share 921 Back to the Subject! 927 We Don't Want Nezam ol-Olama! 927 Inherited Title, Nickname, all the Sarne! 929 Haji Naser os-Saltaneh 931 Origin and Family 934 Historical Proof 934 Who is Dearer, the Child or Grandchild? 937 Those Opposed to the Principapl of Heredity 937 The Ancestors of Sardar Sepah 939 Sardar Sepah's Formal Education 940 The Thoughts of Sardar Sepah in Those Days 942 viii Contents

The Shah's Old Uncle 945 Sense of Duty and Old Age 947 The Opening of the Majles 948 The Plague of Candidacy! 949 Candidate Maker 950 The Need for the Fonnation of A National Front 950 Opposition to Made-to-Order Candidates! 951 Reaction to the Coup 953 A Hometown Rival 953 Rivalry in Cooperation 955 A Dead Hero! 959 A Historical Judgment 959 A Comparison 960 The Jangal Nucleus a Serious Matter 965 The Riots of Sharafkhaneh 969 What Were the Other Cabinet Ministers Doing? 975 Aid to the Victims of Famine in Russia 976 There are Two Sides to Every Story! 982 Everybody Pitch in so I can Win! 984 The Oil of the North and the Standard Oil Company 984 Citizen Khoshtarya's Epitaph 986 Response 987 Uncle Sam Ran Away! 987 My Personal Opinion About the Oil Fields of the North 988 If You Don't Like the Catch, Let it Go! 989 Iran Does not Need a Guardian! 990 Reading the Epic Book of Kings [Shahnameh] 991 Thank God the War is Over! 992 An Azerbaijani, More Than Anything Else, is an Iranian! 992 The Most Difficult Fifteen Minutes of Iran's Life (1945) ! 993 Taking Advantage of the United Nations 996 The Peace of the Goat and the Cabbage! 998 Self-Rule or Unruly! 1000 What was Going on in Those Days? 1001 Interview With a Farmer of V ararnin 1002 Repossession of Khamseh and Azerbaijan by the Government Forces 1006 Radio Moscow was Wailing 1007 Attack on Azerbaijan 1008 The Battle of the Ghaflan Kouh 1009 The Invasion ofTakab and Shahindej 1010 The Invasion of Ardabil and Astara 1010 Contents ix

The Surrender of Tabriz 1010 The People's Reaction to the News of the Invasion of Azerbaijan 1011 The Arrival of the Government Forces in Tabriz 1012 The Telegraph of the Correspondent of Eqdam Newspaper 1012 A Few Words About This News Item 1013 The Oil Fields of the North, Continued 1016 Distinguished Figures! 1017 Historical Tidbits 1019 Sardar Sepah Observes Mourning 1020 Nursing a Patient 1021 The Fall of the Cabinet of Qavam os-Saltaneh 1024 The Cabinet ofMoshir od-Dowleh 1026 Soltan Ahmad Shah's Second Trip to Europe 1027 Mosaddeq os-Saltaneh, the Governor General of Azerbaijan 1027 A Little About Myself 1028 Appointment to the Civil Court of the Ministry of Finance 1031 The Operation of the Civil Court of Finance 1031 The Office of General Accounts 1032 The Department of Tax Assessment of the Provinces 1034 Treasury 1035 Committee for the Purpose of Studying Drafts and Transfers 1035 Director General of Ministry of Finance 1036 Customs Service 1036 Mintage 1036 Obstructionism on Purpose 1037 I Was Behind the Coup! 1037 Communique of the Minisuy of War 1037 Attack and Prevention of Prostitution 1042 Seeking Asylum in the Russian Embassy 1045 The Clash Between the Moslms and the Jews 1046 The Insignificance of the Asylum Seekers at the Russian Embassy 1047 In Preparation for the Fall of the Cabinet of Moshir od-Dowleh 1048 The Fall ofMoshir od-Dowleh's Cabinet 1048 Crisis 1049 The Second Cabinet of Qavam os-Saltaneh 1050 The Tribes of Iran 1051 The Problem of Settlement of the Tribes 1053 The Advancement of the Government Army in Azerbaijan and the Invasion of Fort Chahrigh 1056 The Journal of the Officer in Charge 1056 The Departure of General Amanollah Mirza Jahanbani to Azerbaijan 1058 x Contents

A Brief Review of the Area Under Enemy Occupation 1059 Concentration of the Forces at Fort of Sharafkhaneh 1059 The Combat Plans 1060 The Conditions of the Two Sides of the Attack 1060 General Conditions of the Forces of Smitku 1061 The Morale of the Two Sides 1061 The Government Forces 1062 Combat: Attack on the Rock of Kazem 1062 A Brief Account of the Operation which Ended Esma'il Aqa Smitku 1063 Foreign Advisor Necessary Once Again 1067 Dr. Millspaugh as the Director General of Finance 1067 Majles Attacks Sardar Sepah 1072 The Speech of Motamed ot-Tojjar in the Majles 1073 The Speech of the President of the Majles 1080 The Return of Ahmad Shah to Iran 1081 Review and Parade of the Army 1082 A Few Words About the Army 1082 The Fall of the Cabient of Qavam os-Saltaneh 1084 The Cabinet of Mostofi ol-Mamalek 1084 Trade Treaty Between Iran and the Soviet Union 1085 The Instability of the Cabinet of Mostofi ol-Mamalek 1086 Mostofi ol-Mamalek's Speech 1089 The Cabinet ofMoshir od-Dowleh and the End of the Fourth Majles 1092 Speech by Prime Minister Moshir od-Dowleh 1092 Speech by Soleyman Mirza 1093 Speech by Modarres 1094 Mosbir od-Dowleh Takes Charge 1095 Qavam os-Saltaneh is Prosecuted! 1095 Decreee No. 575 of the Cabinet 1096 The Statement of the Ministry of War 1096 What was the Result of this Prosecution? 1097 The Resignation of Moshir od-Dowleh 1097 Sardar Sepah, the Prime Minister 1098 Communique of the Prime Minister 1098 The Royal Resolution 1098 Sardar Sepah in Charge 1100 The Statement of the Prime Minister 1100 Resorting to Foreign Means Prevented 1101 The Statement of the Prime Minister 1102 The Paved Road Between Tehran and Tabriz 1105 Contents xi

The Khans of Maku 1105 The Dismissal of Swedish Advisors 1109 Sardar Sepah's Efforts in City Planning 1110 The Fifth Elections and the Inauguration of the Majles 1110 People Want a Repiblic 1111 Confrontation in the Majles 1113 Developments Outside the Majles 1115 I was a Socialist, Too! 1116 At the Royal Court 1120 In the Bazaar 1120 Divination 1121 Saturday, 2 Farvardin 1303 (22 March 1924) 1122 Forced Greetings! 1124 Modarres, or the Center of Opposition Against Sardar Sepah ! 1127 Well-Seeded Words ofModarres 1127 The New Cabinet of Sardar Sepah 1129 A Look at the Fifth Majles 1129 The Press 1130 A Little About Myself Again 1130 A Change in the Curriculum of the School of Law and Political Sciences 1131 Alumni Association of the School of Political Sciences 1132 In Support of Religion 1133 The Death of Mirzadeh Eshqi 1134 The Public Drinking Fountain at Sheikh Hadi Crossroad 1135 Undesirable Meddling 1136 The Last Act of the Oil Comedy 1138 Martial Law Increased Sardar Sepah's Power 1140 Sardar Sepah Puts Pressure on the Minority 1140 Interpellation of Modarres from Sardar Sepah 1141 The Province of Khuzestan 1145 The Sheikhs of 11Arabestan11 1146 Sheikh Khaz'al 1148 The Rise of the Insurrection Committee of Prosperity 1149 Modarres's Letter to Sheikh Khaz'al 1150 Sardar Sepah's Trip to Khuzestan 1152 A Few Important Questions! 1153 Changing the Subject! 1155 Continued 1156 Generalissmo 1157 The Change of Calendar 1158 xii Contents

Abolition of Titles 1158 Unwanted Title 1159 The Bill for General Draft 1160 Draught and Bread Shortage 1162 Soltan Ahmad Shah's Attempt to Return to Iran 1162 A Few Words of E.S.P. 1163 News From Tehran 1165 The Meeting of the Ninth of Aban (31 October) and the End of the Qajar Dynasty 1167 Single Proposal 1168 The Fall of the Qajar Dynasty Communiqe 1170 Official Communiqe 1171 The Death of My Mother 1171 The Constituent Assembly 1172 The Inaugural Ceremony of the Constituent Assembly 1172 The Inaugural Speech 1173 At the Constituent Assembly 1174 Conclusion 1176

Index of Important Names 1179