As Chief of the General Staff from 1944 to 1946, he authorized the supply of weapons to the Shahsavan tribesmen who opposed the autonomous government of Azerbaijan. In early 1946, Arfa was instrumental in gathering signatures of parliamentary deputies for a petition supporting Iran's complaint before the United Nations Security Council that Soviet forces continued to occupy northern Iran in contravention of an agreement to withdraw. Arfa's actions placed him in the camp of political leaders who tended to perceive malevolent intentions in Soviet policies but benign intentions in British policies.
As Chief of the General Staff from 1944 to 1946, he sanctioned the provision of arms to the Shahsavan tribesmen who opposed the self-governing government of Azerbaijan. In early 1946, Arfa played a key role in collecting signatures of parliamentary deputies for a petition backing Iran's complaint before the United Nations Security Council that Soviet forces continued to occupy northern Iran in breach of an agreement to withdraw. Arfa's actions positioned him among political leaders who tended to view Soviet policies as malevolent but British policies as benign.