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Interview with Hossein Makki; 1920 Coup, Dr, Mosadegh’s government, Oil and History

Dr. Hossein Makki

 

By: Morteza Rasouli

 

On March 1996, in the Institute for Iranian contemporary historical studies an interview was carried out with Mr. Hossein Makki , the well-known historian of contemporary history.

 

This conversation lasted for 8 hours and Mr. Makki was speaking with full patience but finally this was ended for the weariness of “young people” present at the meeting and not for 83 years old makki.

 

Mr. Makki! you are one of the initiators of contemporary chronology in our country and as an historian you have made great contributions. If you hadn’t written “the 20 years history” and “Modarres, the pioneer of freedom”, our new generation would have no sufficient recognition about the first 20 years period of Pahlavi regime. With regard to the fact that you have founded the basis for introducing the coup d’etat of 1920 on the first volumes of “ the 20 years history” , what is your opinion about the newly published “the memories of Ardeshir J. Reporter”? Apparently Ardeshir J. was not so known until recent years and there was not any reference to him.

His name was mentioned by Raeen on his book named freemasonry for the first time.

 

He made a brief reference to him among the names of those members of Bidari Lodge so that it produced no sensibility.

Some points occur to me which I submit: One is that, also Ironside has written such a case and recommended that while the Pahlavi dynasty was ruling, such subjects shouldn’t be published and it is said that Mohammad Reza Pahlavi took those notes. Before Ironside, it was General Danstervil who was considered the coup d’etat`s grandfather and had prepared the basis of coup d’etat. When he decided to leave Iran, his office was given to Ironside. Edward Gray, the British Foreign Minister, also have a book in English which was then translated to French. The important point I saw in it was that according to the British Government, as the Russian influence in Iran increased on the basis of Torkamanchai contract and when it became clear that the court of Mohammad Ali shah was almost closer to the Russians, England resorted to an “invisible influence”. The writer says in this book that: " for this we propagated the constitutionalism in Iran; the constitutionalism was originally given to Iran by us ". In one of his speeches, the late Modarres, also pointed to this subject that: "when the constitution was forming we were not ready for it but as it was a good thing, we accepted it because the good is good when it comes from anyone".

 

Another point is that the British were seriously opposed to Staroselski

 

What information do you have about the time when Sayyed Zia was in Palestine? It is said that when there was anti Jewish movement in Palestine, he as a good Moslem was purchasing the lands from Arab inhabitants of Palestine and with cooperation of Ein-ol-Molk, father of Amir Abbas Hoveida, as transferring the lands to Jews. It is said that this has been the source of his enormous wealth.

I just know that when he left Iran he had no money and he was given about 250 Toman.

 

*    *    *

Yes, he said in the sixth Majlis: the God is witness that I said nothing disgracing regarding those who agreed with the contract [1919] because it was a political diversity of opinions. And also he says: I never said any bad thing about Vosugh-o-Dowleh. Some people set forth a misgiving and say that why Modarres opposed to Reza khan’s republic; instead if we accepted that, though he had relations with the British, at least in Iran a republic structure such as Turkey was established.

Modarres was saying that: I do not disagree with the republic; the early Islam government was also republic, but I disagree with a republic which would be chosen by foreigners. Modarres [apparently] tried a lot to accelerate his medical treatment by Dr. Amir Alam and others when he was sick for a time but he didn’t submit in spite of Reza khan’s kindnesses.

 

The point that should be remembered is that: our talk about Modarres is insufficient, for he has not been recognized yet. A great many people have had their view completely changed when reading my book about Modarres and say that what a great man he has been!…

*    *    *

Now what about the events of August, 1941. What was the reason of your dispute with Dr. Mossaddegh?

It you read the report that I presented in the seventh Majlis in which I, completely described that in those cases related the event of Tir 30, Mosaddegh would have left and gone and closed the door of his house if there were not Ayyat-o-lah Kashani, I and Baghaee and the rising of Tir 30 would have never happened … 


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