761.91/12–2845: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Murray) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 29—11:30 p.m.]
1195. Moscow’s 4262, Dec 23 to Dept received here yesterday on relay from Cairo. Following are my views on Stalin’s remarks to Secretary on Iranian situation.
[Page 517]1. Suggestion that Iranians constitute danger to Baku oil fields is so patently absurd that it is difficult to see how Soviets would expect it to be given any serious consideration.
2. Emb’s interpretation of article VI of 1921 Irano-Soviet treaty is that Soviet intervention is permissible only in cases involving third powers, such intervention to be exercised only after Soviets have given due notice and Iranians have been unable to cope with situation themselves. No notice has to date been given. Treaty specifically mentions aggressive policies in Iran on part of third powers and use of Iranian territory as center of military operations against Soviet Union.
Since Stalin has pointed out that Soviets may invoke this treaty it might be well to ask Soviet Govt exactly what third power it has in mind. Surely Stalin cannot mean the British with whom Soviets have 20 year treaty of alliance44 and who came strongly to assistance of Soviet Union when latter was attacked. Does he mean the US who poured billions of dollars worth of lend-lease aid into Soviet Union45 and whose soldiers laid down their lives in the common cause. Surely he could not maintain that entry of American forces into Iran during the war in an effort to save the Soviet Union constituted a threat to that country—forces that labored so valiantly under appalling conditions to bring desperately needed aid to Soviets.
3. Statement that Soviet forces are not interfering in Iranian internal disturbances is of course not true.
Sent Dept repeated Moscow 373.
- Signed at London, May 26, 1942, Department of State Bulletin, September 26, 1942, p. 781.↩
- For documentation on this subject, see vol. v, pp. 937 ff.↩