801.24591/5–1746: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Allen) to the Secretary of State
most immediate
[Received May 17—2:40 p.m.]
709. Deptel 435, May 16. In all likelihood Iran will report to Council on May 20 that it is unable to ascertain facts regarding Soviet withdrawal but Iran will not make clear cut statement that inability is due to Soviet interference.
Action by Council to drop case from agenda will come as disappointment to many people in Iran, notably Shah and his group. However, further continuation of case on agenda is beginning to lose its efficacy in Iran and mere continuation may place Council in somewhat ridiculous plight. Fact that Soviet troops are generally believed to have withdrawn would make further continuation appear based on technicality without great substance.
It would be preferable from our point of view for US delegate not to make motion to drop case from agenda since we have been principal exponent of retaining case and our sudden change would be inevitably misconstrued.
If case is dropped, I strongly urge that US delegate point out that action is without prejudice to Iran’s right to bring matter to Council’s attention again if Iran should subsequently obtain information that all Soviet troops have not withdrawn or that foreign interference in internal Iranian affairs exists.34
- In telegram 712, May 18, noon, the Ambassador in Iran reported that the Soviet Ambassador regarded the dispatch of Iranian representatives to Azerbaijan to report on Soviet troop withdrawals as an affront to the Soviet Union (861.24591/5–1846).↩