Evening star., 1953-08-20
BY the Associofed Press


TEHERAN, Iran, Aug. 90
Rumors swept through Teherar
today that deposed Premier Mo-
hammed Mossedgeh has escaped
to the Kashghai tribal area oi
Southern Iran. Some her
thought an effort to overthrow
the day-old royalist regime o.
Premier Fazollah Zahedi might
be in the making.
The Kashghai, 10000 strong
have been firm supporters OF
the weeping old nationalist
prime minister and authorita-
tive sources here reported there
was stirring in the tribal area
today. If true, it could mean
the tribesmen were setting UP
a base of operations for a Mr..
Mossadegh effort against Gen.
Zahedi.
(T'he royalist controlled
radio in Teheran, in a broad
cast picked up in London.
announced Mr.. Mossadegh's
capture earlier. 1t said he and
his wife and children had been
removed to a place of safety
under protection of the new
government. This dispatch,
telephoned to Brussels, gave
no confirmation of the radio
report.)
Earlier, as Gen. Zahedi Strug-
gled to consolidate his triumph
and make ready for the return
of the Shah, he gave Mr.. Mossa-
degh "a hours to surrender. But
there were those here who ex-
pressed opinions that trouble ir
the Kashghai region might force
Gen Zahedi to weaken his
Teheran forces in an effort tt
meet the new threat from the
south.
Firm Coalition Seen.
If forced to take such a plunge
the Communists and EXtremis'
Nationalist followers of Mr.
Mossadegh, now believed linked
in a firm anti-Zahedi coalition
would have a better opportunity
to upset the new government.
From the military point oi
view, the important Bakhtial
tribe might stand as the bal
ance of power The Bakhtiari-
like the Kashghai hard-shootine
horsemen-lie athwart the coac
to Teheran. They are strongly
pro-Shah. Queen Soraya is 9
Bakhtiari.
The remainder of Iran il
firmly in Gen. zahedi's hands.
Forming New Cabinet.
Teheran radio broadcast!
heard in London said Gen
Zahedi had started to form
a new cabinet and haC
messaged the Shah again to
come home at once. Shah Mo-
hammed Reza Pahlevi is In
Rome preparing to take off to-
night.
Teheran radio said yesterday
Mr.. Mossadegh's right hand
man, former Foreign Minister
Hossein Fatemi, had been torn
to bits by mob violence in which
300 persons lost their lives. A
dispatch from Associated Press
Correspondent Don Schwind
this morning said police still
searched for Mr.. Fatemi.
Ordered to Prevent Lynching.
The announcement of Mr.
MosSadegh'S capture gave nc
details beyond saying that the
aged, ailing, former Premier, his
wife and children were removed
from the Iranian capital under
the protection of the new pro-
Shah government.
Gen. Zahedi said the Shah
had instructed him to prevent
Mr.. Mossadegh being lynched by
the street crowds. Gen. Zahedi
added that Mr.. Mossadegh would
stand public trial.
1--WE will wait for the nation
to say what should be done with
him." Gen. Zahedi said.
Whereabouts of Mr.. Mossa-
degh was not disclosed.
Teheran radio said some people
were injured in the street fight
ing this morning. There was no
elaboration.
Doubt Cast on Capture.
The vagueness of the an
nouncement about Mr.. Mossa-
degh's capture led to some specu-
lation that Gen. Zahedi's regime
might have made the broadcast
in the hope of breaking the
spirit of pro-Mossadegh groups
British informants said the
Iranian people now were in such
a volatile state that almost any
thing can happen there in the
next few hours or days.
In Rome, the Shah, his heart
full Of JOY" called upon the
Iranian people to obey the new
zehedi government and an