861.24591/3–1846: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Murray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:50 p.m.]
362. Capt. Gagarine24 and Rossow have requested permission to attempt trip from Tabriz to Rezaieh presumably to check on disposition Soviet forces and activities of Kurds. I have instructed them not to attempt this or travel anywhere in Kurdistan.25
Unless Dept considers it vitally important to have first-hand information on reported Soviet troop concentrations in Irano-Turkish frontier region I do not propose to send any American officer into [Page 365] that area at present. Territory is inhabited by armed Kurds who are apparently under little or no control and I think there would be grave danger of a serious incident which might even be engineered by Russians to divert attention from main issues involved in present crisis. It seems to me we should try to avoid anything which would confuse matters when Iran’s case is brought before Security Council.
I should appreciate Dept’s comment.
To Dept as 362, repeated to Moscow 110 and Ankara.
- Alexis M. Gagarine, Assistant Military Attaché in Iran. In telegram 362, March 18, 4 p.m., the Ambassador in Tehran reported that “Gagarine arrived Tabriz March 17 having traveled by road from Tehran. Reports having seen personally Soviet column of 25 tanks moving direction of Tehran. Says Soviet garrison Qazvin increased and Soviet infantry unit at Zenjan. Observed armed Red troops in same trucks with armed Azerbaijan ‘Democrats’.” (861.24591/3–1846)↩
- In telegram 223, March 19, 7 p.m., to Tehran the Department agreed fully with Murray’s view, that “travel of official personnel in Kurdistan is presently unwise.” (861.24591/3–1846)↩