861.24591/3–1946: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Iran (Murray)
222. Secretary General UNO issued following press release here today at 5:00 p.m.:
“The Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Trygve Lie, received yesterday, at 7:00 p.m., the Iranian Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Hussein Ala.
Ambassador Ala, under instruction from his Government, delivered to Secretary General Trygve Lie the following communications:
March 18, 1946.
‘My dear Secretary General,
In accordance with telegraphic instructions received this morning from my Govt, I have today addressed, in your care, a letter to the Chairman of the Security Council, bringing to his attention a dispute between Iran and the U.S.S.R.
I take the liberty of enclosing a copy of that communication, which was sent to New York, and I should be extremely grateful if Your Excellency would have the appeal of Iran put on the agenda of the Security Council due to meet on March 25th.
Believe me, my dear Secretary General,
Yours sincerely,
s/ Hussein Ala’
March 18, 1946.
‘Sir,
Pursuant to Article 35, paragraph 1, of the Charter of the United Nations, Iran brings to the attention of the Security Council a dispute between Iran and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security. This dispute has arisen by reason of new developments since the adoption by the Security Council of the resolution of January 30, 1946, relating to the earlier dispute between Iran and the U.S.S.R. The U.S.S.R. is maintaining Soviet troops in Iranian territory after March 2, 1946, contrary to the express provisions of Article V of the Tripartite Treaty of Alliance of January 29, 1942. Furthermore, the U.S.S.R. is continuing to interfere in the internal affairs of Iran through the medium of Soviet agents, officials and armed forces. These acts are in violation of the aforesaid treaty, and also in violation of the Declaration of Teheran and the Charter of [Page 366] the United Nations. The immediate and just solution of this dispute by the Security Council is of the greatest importance to the preservation of the good relations with the U.S.S.R. which Iran wishes to maintain as an independent and sovereign state, and to the survival of the purposes and principles which the members of the United Nations have solemnly undertaken to respect.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
s/ Hussein Ala’
“Secretary General Trygve Lie has formally acknowledged receipt of the communication in a letter to the Iranian Ambassador, and has transmitted the communications to the representatives of the members of the Security Council thru their diplomatic missions in Washington.
The Iranian request is, therefore, on the provisional agenda to be submitted for approval of the Security Council at the first sitting in New York, now scheduled for Monday, March 25, 1946.”
[In telegram 224, March 20, 1946, to Tehran (repeated to London and Moscow), the Department informed the Ambassador:
“In releasing to press copy of his letter to Secretary General UNO [see supra], Iranian Ambassador made following press statement here 5 pm March 19:
“‘This notice speaks for itself. I desire, however, on behalf of my Govt to emphasize that the bringing by one party before the Security Council of the United Nations of a dispute of this kind should not be interpreted as an act of unfriendliness by the other party.
“‘The Govt of Iran feels compelled to take this course because of its responsibilities to its people and because of the obligations imposed upon it by the Constitution of Iran. No Iranian Govt could take any other course. We have every hope that this dispute will be decided by the Security Council with such expedition and justice that it will leave no room for misunderstanding.’” (861.24591/3–2046)]