Lieutenant General Farajollah Aghevli

Fatemeh Moezzi

Son of Amanollah Khan Nasir Khaqan Tabib, lieutenant general Farajollah Aghevli was born in Isfahan, 1888. He went to Adab Elementary school and then learnt English language and was engaged in the teaching of English. He continued his education in Gendarmerie school and was graduated as captain, then he was employed in the Gendarmerie of treasury founded by the financial advisor, Morgan Shuster. The unit was dissolved after his departure from Iran, and the forces joined the government Gendarmerie. Aghevli became the commandant officer of Qazvin and Tehran battalions and the executive head of Gendarmerie. He became the commandant of independent battalion of Mazandaran to suppress the local chiefs, 1920. Subsequent to the 1920 coup, he brought changes in the army and became lieutenant colonel. The five divisions were formed and Major Farajollah Khan Aghevli was transferred to the army, and as a lieutenant colonel became the head of army staff of the west division.

Subsequent to the ratification of the compulsory military service law in 1926, he was appointed as the head of this organization and succeeded to implement the law. Following the suppression and the detainment of Sheikh Khazal, he became the governor of Khuzestan as a brigadier general. He held his appointment for three years. However, he was disfavored by Reza Shah on the charge of collaboration with the local chiefs, and he had to retire in 1931. After the exile of Reza Shah, he became the head of the General Register Office, and was appointed as the commandant officer of the general Gendarmerie and was promoted major general.

Aghevli was among the arrested officers who were accused of having collaborated with the Germans, 1945. He was imprisoned for a year and a half in Arak. When released, he was the chief of army trial court. He was appointed the chief of army staff for a while. However the rivalry of major general Razmara and major general Hassan Arfaa for this office led him to go back to his office as the chief of army trial court.

He was appointed the minister of interior in Qavam’s cabinet, but due to the announcement of martial law by Qavam, the minister of war, lieutenant general AmirAhmadi and Aghevli resigned from their offices. However, again he was minister of interior in Hakimi’s cabinet as his final government appointment.

Lieutenant general Aghevli was the manager of Sepah Bank. He was also the head of National Works society. Eventually he died in Tehran, 1974. There are about 70 records relating to him in the archive of IICHS.
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