891.00/1792: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State53
[Received October 4—7:55 p.m.]
4724. Personal for the Secretary and Under Secretary. Your 4218, October 3, 11 p.m., just received. I communicated with Mr. Eden at once. I have followed this situation in all its detail and know for a fact that Mr. Eden has considered Russian interference in Iran affairs or efforts towards separatist movements by them as harmful and unwarranted.
He told me some time ago that he had taken up this situation with the Soviet Ambassador and has pressed the matter since. He also has pointed out to the Russian Ambassador that political activities on the [Page 468] part of his country in Iran will inevitably have harmful effects in Turkey. It is his intention to continue “his endeavors to implement the assurances which His Majesty’s Government and the Soviet Government have given to respect the political independence and territorial integrity of Iran”.
He asked me to tell you that he is deeply grateful for your interest in this matter.
In regard to the last paragraph of your message Mr. Eden suggests that you might instruct me to take up with Mr. Maisky the interest of our Government in supporting the political independence and territorial integrity of Iran. This might enable us to coordinate our efforts with greater precision.
My conversation was carried on with Mr. Eden on the telephone over “the scrambler” as he is not in London today.
I await your wishes.
I am attaching hereto Mr. Eden’s cable to Sir Stafford Cripps (Moscow) of September 23, 1941.
“Sir,
When the Soviet Ambassador came to see me this afternoon I spoke to His Excellency about the position in Iranian Azerbaijan. I understood that there had been a movement, especially among the Armenian minority, in favor of the separation of that province from Iran and its eventual federation with the Soviet Union. Considerable apprehension appeared to exist lest these separatist tendencies should be encouraged by the Soviet military authorities in Tabriz. It appeared that, on their first arrival, the Soviet forces had armed many Armenian irregulars to keep order in Azerbaijan, but that these Armenians had since been disarmed. About first September a large open air meeting had been held at Tabriz which was chiefly attended by Armenians, who demanded independence for Azerbaijan and its federation with the Soviet Union; but the Soviet military authorities had wisely prevented a second public meeting from being held with the same object in view. A petition had, however, been circulated in the same sense. It seemed to me most important that no encouragement should be given to the movement for autonomy in Azerbaijan by the Soviet Government. The effect of any such action on Turkey and on the Moslem population in other parts of Iran would be deplorable.
2. The Ambassador replied that he felt sure that the Soviet authorities had no such intention. Indeed, I myself had told him that the Soviet military authorities had prevented the second meeting. I replied that though this was so, I attached so much importance to the matter that I hoped that the Ambassador would telegraph to his Government reporting what I had said. M. Maisky undertook to do so.
I am, et cetera. Anthony Eden.”
- Repeated to the Minister in Iran in Department’s telegram No. 104, October 8, 1 p.m.↩