891.00/5–2546: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Iran (Allen)
us urgent most immediate
464. Ala informed Dept officials in confidence May 24 of receipt on May 23 of instruction from Qavam to withdraw from SC letter of May 20. This letter had asserted dispute between Iran and USSR “cannot be said, in reality, to have been resolved in manner consistent with purposes and principles of Charter of UN” and that recent events “demonstrated that threat to integrity of Iran and to international peace has grown more serious”. Amb has replied to Qavam in following sense: throughout Iranian case, he has had single purpose of strengthening Qavam’s hand in holding out for seven points in negotiations with Pishevari and in effecting settlement consistent with Const of Iran; on May 20 and at all times, he has told SC only truth as furnished by latest cables received from Qavam at the time; that SC members knew what Ala had said was true and had so informed press; and that, therefore, it would be unconvincing to retract anything that he has said to SC. Reply continued at length to underscore seriousness of situation re Azerbaijan and suggested that Qavam alone seemed unaware of true state of affairs in North. In sending this reply, Ala had in mind Qavam’s recent cables to effect that interference is obviously continuing; that Iran, while not overlooking immediate pressure of Russians, needed UN assistance; and that Pishevari’s charge against Qavam of double-dealing had admittedly posed a choice for Qavam to make between UN and USSR.
In our view, Qavam would materially weaken ability of UN to assist Iran if he should insist upon withdrawal of letter.49 Furthermore, disavowal by Iran Government of Ala for his efforts on behalf of Iran would be likely to strengthen belief already prevalent in some circles that it is useless to endeavor to preserve Iranian independence and integrity so long as members of Iranian Government show a greater desire to propitiate the very forces which they admit privately are interfering in Iranian internal affairs than to give UN the facts which it should have in order to take effective action in the matter.
- The letter was not withdrawn.↩