Office of the Historian

761.9115/4–749: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Iran

secret
Washington, April 8, 1949—7 p. m.

328. Urtels 438, Apr. 41 and 456, Apr. 7.2 In view frequency recent border incidents Dept appreciates Iran desire achieve formula remove possible boundary causes those incidents. At same time, we feel Iranians wld be ill-advised pursue at present time consideration lodging formal complaint SC basis Sov incursions. We adhere view next Iran step vis-à-vis USSR shld be communication SC for info only record events pertinent Iran case SC agenda, including border incidents, and taking occasion elucidate treaty situation. Formal Iran request SC [Page 501] action re Sov initiation border incidents might be interpreted imply no complaint other obvious Sov pressures and befog principal issue Iran immunity unilateral Sov mil action.

Acheson
  1. Not printed; it reported a border incident in Azerbaijan, said to be the sixth incident in the last eight months of Soviet aggression within Iranian territory (761.91/4–449).↩
  2. Not printed; it advised that Soviet Ambassador, Sadchikov had seen Foreign Minister Hekmat on the morning of April 7 and that the Foreign Minister had been instructed to place before the Soviet Ambassador three proposals:

    “(1) Hekmat and Sadchikov to try to reach prompt agreement on exact delineation of boundaries in regions where incidents have taken place (i.e., Gurgan and Moghan).

    “(2) Irano-Soviet boundary commission to be formed with possible participation one or more neutrals. …

    “(3) Iran to submit formal complaint to Security Council on basis six acts of aggression by Red Army in past year.” (761.9115/4–749)

    ↩