891.00/12–1246: Telegram
The Consul at Tabriz (Sutton) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 16—1:14 p.m.]
263. Just a year and a day after it was founded the Democrat regime of Azerbaijan crumbled in a few hours yesterday. It had shown increasing weakness during past month and as tension rose morale declined. It was evident that people had no wish to fight and that leaders could count on little or no support. Today it is as if we live in a different city. The pall is lifted. I have never seen so many smiling faces since I came to Azerbaijan. They are relieved and happy.
Early yesterday afternoon martial law was declared and 8 o’clock curfew imposed but immediately afterward submission to Tehran was announced and all directives were thereafter disregarded. About midnight shooting could be heard in barracks area and continued until morning. By daybreak Democrats were in full flight. Although warned against disorder I felt it was important for me to be seen and to do what I could to convince people that security would be maintained. I do not share my British colleague’s view that at this critical moment we should keep out of sight. I therefore drove through streets and called on remaining civil and religious leaders. At sight of my car with American flag people cheered and applauded and shouted long live America. These were same people who stared sullenly at me few days ago as if they wondered why I was here.
Many civilians are armed and engaged in hunting out former Democrats but there is little general disorder. Intermittant firing continues but has no particular objective. I went to Governor’s palace and found it virtually empty except for Shabostari, President of Provincial Council, who is loyally trying to maintain semblance of control. He was always considered most respectable of Democrats and seems still activated by purely patriotic motives. I told him I wanted to do what I could to assist during the period of uncertainty and to prevent violence. He was most grateful and said he had been up all night and would stay at his post until central government troops [Page 562] arrived. As I left I saw first armed uniformed soldiers I had seen but discovered that they were Assyrians who were afraid of being killed and wanted me to take them to some place of safety. I told them I would do my best to prevent disorder but that they should stay where they were.
I then went to Democrat headquarters and found it deserted except for a few heavily armed soldiers who did not know what or who they were guarding. They said Beriya, head of the Labor Union, was inside but when I entered I found only a stray member of the committee who knew little of anything. Pishevari’s office which, until the day before, was the center of authority was littered with bread and eggs and empty cups and cigarette butts, the traces of the last few hours of indecision. No one knows where Pishevari is. I was told that Beriya’s car had been attacked and that he had been taken to Soviet hospital so I went to see if I could find him. Hospital doors were barred and there was angry crowd outside which had demolished the car of the man who had been most popular of all Democrats. Doctors told me Beriya had been there but escaped by back door. I continued to drive about town through milling crowds who cheered when they saw my flag. Shots were fired near us but I saw only one blood covered spot on main street which looked as though someone had been killed there. I finally found Djavid who said there was only handful of security forces left and that he hoped Iranian troops would arrive today or tomorrow.32 This was discouraging news I had heard for I have misgivings about what may happen after nightfall if forces do not arrive. I have done what I can and will continue to move about town to encourage feeling of security as much as I can. The rest depends upon time and Tehran.
Sent Tehran as 445.
- In telegram 264, December 14, the Consul at Tabriz reported that a small force of the Iranian Army had occupied Tabriz in the early evening of December 13 (891.00/12–1446).↩