891.00/12–1945: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran ( Murray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 20—4:33 p.m.]
1155. Prime Minister made fiery speech in Majlis yesterday denouncing democrats as infamous group of intriguers and vowing his Govt would take every possible step to put down rebellion. He pointed out that garrisons in north had not been ordered to resist in order to avoid useless bloodshed and that all officials and security forces had been powerless to resist rebels since Govt had not been allowed to send reinforcements. He called on Allies to aid in solving problem by withdrawing their forces immediately. He denied categorically that movement had any popular support and pointed out that methods of Democrats consisted of terror, force and assassination. While he was most careful not to criticize Soviets by name he made it definitely clear that they were responsible for inability of Govt to restore order.
While speech contained little that was new, its boldness of tone and fiery phrases indicate at least publicly that Iranian Govt has no intention of giving up without a struggle.
Full text by airmail.28
Sent to Dept, repeated Moscow 356, London 139.
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