891.00/11–2645: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 26—12:45 p.m.]
3961. [Re] action by Soviet military authorities in stopping Iranian troops proceeding from Tehran to Azerbaijan.
British Ambassador71 on November 25 wrote Molotov saying British Government felt it entirely reasonable that Iranian Government should wish to maintain order in its own territory and legitimate that Iranian Government should have its security forces within its own territory for purpose of maintaining order. Clark Kerr referred to articles 1 and 4 of Anglo-Soviet Iranian treaty of January 29, 1942 and to Declaration of Tehran. He said his Government felt action by Soviet military authorities must have been due to “some misunderstanding of the position” and trusted that Soviet Government would feel able to direct Soviet Commanders in Iran not to obstruct Iranian military movements or efforts of Iranian Government to maintain internal order.
To Department 3961 repeated Tehran 158, London 600.
- Sir Archibald Clark Kerr.↩