861.79691/7–2447: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran ( Allen ) to the Secretary of State
666. Soviet Govt has agreed to Iran request to discontinue internal Soviet aviation operations in Iran. Soviet planes engaged in traffic between Tehran, Tabriz, Meshed and Pahlavi were grounded by Soviet authorities on July 19. Soviet aviation officials here expect that the five DC 3’s involved will be removed to Soviet Union. They say they do not know what will be done with the repair equipment, spare parts and supplies they have in Iran but presume they will be largely withdrawn also.
As regards Moscow-Tehran line, Soviets have declined to accept Iran suggestion for negotiation of reciprocal bilateral agreement and state that their flights from Moscow to Tehran will be “sporadic” in the future. Soviets will request special permission for each flight. Soviets claim radio stations in four Iran cities named are needed to furnish weather information for Soviet flights to Iran (and possibly for their operations in nearby Soviet territory). Iranians are not pressing Soviets to give up those stations at present moment.1
Iran authorities who are much surprised at suddeness and ease with which they obtained their request for removal of Soviet airline are busy speculating regarding underlying motives. Some think Soviets hope thereby to gain good will and Majlis votes for oil concession. It seems possible that Soviets may have been finding their operations in [Page 922] Iran expensive and difficult to maintain and were not unhappy to find a suitable occasion for discontinuance.
Dept pass to Moscow 71 and Cairo 128.
- Ambassador Allen commented in airgram A–137, August 5, that the suspension of Soviet civil aviation in Iran “may be considered a near fulfillment, very tardily, of Russia’s obligation”, under the Anglo-Soviet-Iranian Treaty of Alliance, “to withdraw its armed forces from Iran. … The continued operation of four Red Army established weather stations in northern Iran, dubiously justified on the grounds of sporadic Moscow flights, can be construed to represent the only remaining violation” of the Treaty (891.00/8–547). For documentation concerning the Treaty, signed on January 29, 1942, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iv, pp. 263 ff.↩