891.6363/12–2844
The Soviet Ambassador ( Gromyko ) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: In connection with the note of November 1, of the Chargé d’Affaires of the U. S. A. in Moscow, Mr. Kennan, concerning the question of Iran,2 I have the honor, by direction of the Soviet Government, to convey to you the following:
In September the Soviet Government dispatched to Iran an official commission headed by the Deputy People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, S. I. Kavtaradze, for negotiating with the Government of Iran regarding the granting of an oil concession for the Soviet Union in the northern regions of Iran. The conditions of a possible agreement, which the Soviet Government had in view to conclude on that subject with the Government of Iran, were very profitable and advantageous for Iran, and, of course were in no degree infringing its sovereignty or independence. It was intended also to consider any suggestions of the part of Iran, and to start practical discussion of the conditions of the agreement in the spirit of the friendly and allied relations existing between the two countries.
In the beginning of the negotiations the head of the Government of Iran, Mr. Saed, declared that his attitude was favorable to the Soviet proposals. On this basis the Soviet Commission started the preliminary work connected with the coming negotiations. However, a month later, the attitude of the Government of Mr. Saed changed, under hidden influences and Mr. Saed declared suddenly to the Soviet Commission his refusal to grant the concession. The Government of Mr. Saed did not even make an attempt to familiarize itself with the Soviet conditions of the concession, which as deemed by the Soviet Government, should have been passed on by the representatives of both sides on the basis of free negotiations and with allowance for mutual interests.
Thus the Government of Mr. Saed was obviously disloyal, with respect to the Soviet side, in the conduct of the negotiations. This disloyal attitude of Mr. Saed toward the proposals of the Soviet Government, which was sincerely looking for ways for a practical achievement of an important economic agreement with Iran, that would be to the advantage of both countries and would lend to Iran considerable economic assistance, as well as other facts, manifesting the hostile attitude of Mr. Saed on a series of questions of Soviet-Iran collaboration, could not but evoke a corresponding negative reaction in the Soviet public opinion and press.
[Page 335]As can be seen from the events which followed in Iran, the hostile attitude taken toward the U. S. S. R. by the former Prime Minister, Mr. Saed, met with disapproval of many Iranian political leaders and wide circles of Iranian public opinion.
Such are the circumstances of the case concerning the Soviet proposals pertaining to the oil concession in Iran. The Soviet Government considers it its duty to mention these circumstances, so that the Government of the United States of America may have correct information on this question.
At the same time the Soviet Government cannot overlook the unsympathetic attitude taken by America with regard to Soviet-Iran negotiations regarding the oil concession. As appears from the information set forth above, any statements about interference on the part of the Soviet in the internal affairs of Iran have no foundation whatever.
The Soviet Government cannot agree with arguments that the granting of an oil concession to the Soviet Union can in any degree affect the sovereignty of Iran. If these arguments were recognized as sound, they would in the first place affect Great Britain which, as is known, has for a long time had an important oil concession in Iran.
In the opinion of the Soviet Government, there are not sufficient reasons to assert either that the question of the granting of an oil concession to the Soviet Union cannot be settled at the present time, and that this question must be postponed until the post-war period.
The former Government of Saed was not able to offer any convincing argument to that effect. The Soviet proposals concerning the oil concessions are in no measure in contradiction with the declaration concerning Iran made on December 1, 1943 by the three Powers.3 On the contrary, they are in complete accord with this declaration, which contemplates the necessity of lending economic assistance to Iran by the Allies. It is obvious that a positive solution of the question of an oil concession to the Soviet Union would contribute to a further development of good Soviet-Iran relations, and at the same time would become one of the means of lending important economic assistance to Iran. In this respect the Soviet proposals concerning the concession agree entirely with the obligations assumed by the Allies according to the declaration of the three Powers concerning Iran.
The above might be supplemented by the following.
Early in December, concealed from public opinion and in violation of the Iranian Constitution, the former Prime Minister Mr. Saed in concert with a certain Seyid Zia-ed-din succeeded in having passed by the Majlis a resolution forbidding the members of the Iranian Government from entering into negotiations with anyone concerning oil concessions.
[Page 336]In connection with this, the Deputy People’s Commissar, S. I. Kavtaradze, paid a visit to the new Prime Minister of Iran and by direction of the Soviet Government made a statement containing the remark, that in the opinion of the Soviet Government the above-mentioned resolution concerning oil concessions must be revised, because it was adopted under the influence of intriguing by hostile elements of the kind of Saed, Seyid Zia-ed-din, and others.
Apart from that, this resolution contradicts the fact of the existence on the territory of Iran of an important oil concession belonging to a foreign country. After having made this statement, S. I. Kavtaradze left for Moscow.
Informing the Government of the United States of America of the above, the Soviet Government considers it necessary to remark that on the question concerning the oil concession in Iran it continues to maintain the attitude expressed in this note, in particular in the statement of the Deputy People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, S. I. Kavtaradze, cited, made by him to the Prime Minister of Iran mentioned.
Sincerely yours,