Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The Near East and Africa, Volume VIII

811.24591/9–1945: Telegram

The Ambassador in Iran (Murray) to the Secretary of State

Tehran, September 19, 1945—1 p.m.
[Received 3:37 p.m.]

745. Following events have occurred in evacuation of Tehran area by Allied Forces:

1. As of today Persian Gulf Command has transferred headquarters to Khorramshahr and in few days only American troops in Tehran area will be security detachments, Liquidation Commission⁸ personnel and Air Transport Command.

2. Russians have evacuated Ghaleh Morghi Airport except for Intourist personnel and may thus be able to claim they have evacuated all “troops” from Tehran area. Tehran area administrative headquarters is still here.

3. General Lochner⁹ has informed Persian Gulf Command that all British troops will be withdrawn to point as far away as Hamadan, Kermanshah and Andimeshk within immediate future and that Hamadan will be evacuated shortly thereafter. Lochner expects that all 18,000 British troops may soon leave country entirely going, possibly, to Iraq.

Sent to Dept as 745; repeated to Moscow as 234 and London as 61.

Murray

8. Office of the Army-Navy Liquidation Commissioner (OANLC), the agency handling the disposition of surplus American property abroad.
9. Brig. Rupert G. Lochner, in command of British troops in Iran.