800.24591/6–345

The British Embassy to the Department of State 46

Aide-Mémoire

Ref: 335/–/45

His Majesty’s Government have been considering the approach made to them by the Iranian Government about the withdrawal of Allied Forces from Iran.

2.
His Majesty’s Ambassador at Teheran was instructed on May 30th to inform the Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs in reply that although His Majesty’s Government cannot accept the argument that the Allied Powers are not entitled by the Anglo-Soviet-Iranian Treaty to keep troops in Iran until six months after the end of the Japanese war they are nevertheless prepared to consider sympathetically the request of the Iranian Government that the withdrawal of Allied troops from Iran should begin before the final date fixed by the Treaty. His Majesty’s Ambassador was instructed to add that His Majesty’s Government are discussing the question with the United States and Soviet Governments.
3.
His Majesty’s Ambassador at Moscow was instructed on the same date to inform the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the reply which His Majesty’s Government are making to the Iranian Government. Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr was instructed to add that His Majesty’s Government now wish formally to propose that Allied troops should start withdrawing from Iran pari passu and in stages before the final Treaty date and that military talks should be held to discuss the stages in which such withdrawals may take place.
4.
In informing the State Department of the action which His Majesty’s Government have taken, His Majesty’s Embassy is instructed to explain that His Majesty’s Government had intended to consult the State Department before taking this action, but that they had just learned that the intention of the United States Government is to withdraw American troops from Iran and to hand over operation of the railway by July 1st. Taking into account the attitude of the State Department at the time of the Crimean Conference,47 His Majesty’s [Page 378] Government felt that there was unlikely to be any serious difference of view between the two Governments and therefore went ahead. At the same time His Majesty’s Government would be very glad if the United States Government, to whom it is understood that a similar note has been addressed by the Iranian Government, felt able to represent to the Soviet Government that they regard it as desirable that the evacuation of Iran should start at an early date.
5.
His Majesty’s Embassy attach a copy of a telegram received from His Majesty’s Ambassador at Teheran on the 31st of May.48
  1. Delivered to the Department on June 4, 1945, by the Counselor of the British Embassy (Wright). In a memorandum of the same date, the Acting Chief of the Division of Middle Eastern Affairs stated: “Mr. Wright said orally and in the strictest confidence that the British will withdraw from Iran only pari passu with the Russians and in any event will insist on leaving a garrison in southwest Iran to protect oil installations and lines of communications which are essential to the prosecution of the Far Eastern war.” (800.24591/6–445)
  2. For summary of Department’s views at that time, see memorandum of February 27 by the Director of the Office of European Affairs and telegram 129, March 15 to Tehran, pp. 362 and 365, respectively.
  3. Dated May 31, 1945, not printed; it stated that the Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs had expressed satisfaction with the British position.