891.00/2042⅞
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Adviser on Political Relations (Murray)
Subject: Desire of Iranian Government for an early evacuation of Russian and British troops in Iran.
During a visit which the Iranian Minister made on me today, by appointment, he informed me that the Iranian Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs had called upon Mr. Hull and Mr. Eden during their brief stopover in Tehran on their way back from Moscow, and brought earnestly to their attention the wishes of the Iranian Government in the following matter.
The Iranian Minister states that Mr. Hull and Mr. Eden were requested to give earnest consideration to the hopes of the Iranian Government that a means might be found to bring about the early [Page 406] evacuation of Russian and British troops in Iran, even before the end of the war. In this connection the Iranian Minister referred to the Tripartite Treaty between Great Britain, Soviet Russia and Iran providing for the use of Iranian soil for military purposes, and particularly for the transit of military material and equipment to Soviet Russia, and providing also that all foreign troops should evacuate Iranian soil six months after the termination of hostilities.
The present viewpoint of the Iranian Government is that the situation in that country has so radically changed since the negotiation of the above-mentioned treaty, that the Iranians feel justified for the following reasons in requesting the earlier evacuation of Russian and British troops now occupying the country:
Whereas the occupation of Iran took place for the ostensible reason of expelling Axis agents said to be in the country at that time, all such agents then in question have now been disposed of. Furthermore, one of the stated reasons for the occupation was to protect Iran from Axis forces then pressing into the Caucasus, and since that time the Germans have been driven back hundreds of miles without any possible hope of ever returning to their positions of farthest advance. And finally, and most important, Iran has meanwhile declared war against the Axis and is now one of the United Nations. For this reason principally the Iranian Government feels that having thrown in its lot with the Allies, the British and the Russians should make an appropriate and early gesture of confidence by evacuating their troops, which constitute such an enormous economic burden on the population, as well as a humiliation to their national pride.
I told the Minister that we would be happy to discuss this matter with the Secretary upon his return, and that he might be confident that we would give earnest and sympathetic consideration to the wishes of the Iranian Government, bearing in mind, of course, the paramount military considerations.