891.00/1792: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
1124. Subsequent to the Department’s 1078, September 25, 7 p.m., the Legation at Tehran has submitted to the Department further telegraphic reports, substantiated by information supplied by the British Minister to Iran, that the Russians in the occupied zone are engaging in political intrigue, disseminating Soviet propaganda, and are displaying open sympathy toward Armenian and other separatist movements. Russian Government support of this activity has been indicated by a recent suggestion of the Russian Ambassador in Tehran to the Iranian Government that special elections should be held and a greater degree of autonomy granted to certain areas in Iran.
Mr. Eden has taken this matter up with Ambassador Maisky in London, pointing out that Soviet political activities in Iran will inevitably have harmful effects in Turkey, and he has informed Ambassador Cripps by cable of this conversation.
You should seek the earliest opportunity to inform the Foreign Office that this Government views with concern reports which have been received concerning Russian political activities in Iran and is extremely [Page 470] apprehensive of the effect upon Turkey of any display of Russian sympathy toward an Armenian separatist movement in Iran. In this connection you should refer to the assurances that the territorial integrity and political independence of Iran will be respected, contained in the Soviet Government’s note of August 25 to the Iranian Ambassador and you should refer also to Dekanosov’s reaffirmations of these assurances reported in section 4 of your 1632, September 6, 2 p.m.55 Referring to the President’s message of reassurance to the Shah (Department’s 1026, September 4, 2 p.m.56) you should state that this Government is confident that the Soviet Government will make sure that effective measures are being taken to implement the assurances which it has given to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of Iran.