Statement by the Soviet Representative at the United Nations (Gromyko)48
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“I would begin by making an official declaration on behalf of the. Soviet Government. Negotiations between the Soviet Government and the Government of Iran have resulted in an agreement regarding the evacuation of Soviet troops still in that country. It is already known that the evacuation of these troops began some time ago, on the 2d of March. As regards the evacuation of the troops still remaining in certain zones of Iran, I would state that in accordance with an agreement concluded between the Soviet and the Iranian Governments the evacuation of these troops began on the 24th of March, that is, two days ago, and will probably end within five or six weeks unless unforeseen circumstances arise.
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In conformity with the resolution adopted by the Security Council on 30 January in its session at London, the differences between the Governments of the Soviet Union and Iran were to be handled by negotiations between the two parties, bi-lateral negotiations.
[Page 382]In conformity with this decision, negotiations between the two Governments did take place. These negotiations brought about positive results—the positive results which I have already mentioned—results agreed to and agreements between the two parties.
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Therefore the decision to place this subject on the agenda of the Security Council contradicts not only the facts of the situation, but the letter and the spirit of the resolution adopted by the Security Council on the 30th of January.
For these reasons I propose that the question raised by the Iranian Ambassador in the letter of the 18th of March should not be included in the agenda of the Security Council.”
Statement by the Secretary of State49
I cannot agree with the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics nor support the amendment he offers to the agenda.
The facts before the Council are that the Iranian Government, through its representative, brought to the attention of the Council a dispute between Iran and the USSR which it declared was likely to endanger international peace and security. The Iranian Government further stated that contrary to the provisions of the Treaty of 29 January 1942, the USSR was maintaining troops on Iranian territory after 2 March. In its letter to the Council, it further declared that the USSR was continuing to interfere in the internal affairs of Iran through the medium of USSR agents, officials and armed forces.
The Iranian Government, through its representative, referred to these facts as constituting new developments arising since the action of the Council on 30 January.
Today the representative of the USSR states that there has been an agreement. If that information is correct, then the USSR Government should have presented to the Council for its consideration a joint statement from the Iranian Government and the USSR Government stating that an agreement had been arrived at and asking that there be no further consideration of the question. But that is not the case. The Iranian Government has not withdrawn its letter.
Though we have tried to ascertain the facts, we have not ascertained from the Iranian Government that there has been an agreement.
Therefore, when a Member of the United Nations advises the Council that a situation exists which is likely to threaten the peace and security of the world, we cannot deny to that nation the opportunity to [Page 383] be heard, to say whether or not there has been an agreement, to say whether or not it wishes to withdraw its complaint.
If that is not correct, then all that a Government represented on the Council would have to do when a complaint was made against it would be to advise the Council that there had been an agreement, and on the strength of that statement, to ask that the complaining Government should be denied the opportunity to have a hearing.
All that is contemplated now is the adoption of an agenda which would give to the Iranian Government an opportunity to present facts which in the opinion of that Government constitute a threat to international peace. Surely the Council cannot deny to any Member of the United Nations the opportunity to present a request of that kind, filed in complete accord with the provisions of the Charter.
If there has been an agreement, certainly the Council would want to hear that fact stated by the representative of the Iranian Government. If there has been an agreement, we must assume that the representative of the Iranian Government will make a statement as to the agreement. We must put this matter on the agenda; we must give to the Iranian Government an opportunity to say whether or not there has been an agreement.
If there is not a complete understanding between the Iranian Government and the USSR Government, that fact will be disclosed when opportunity is given to both parties to the dispute to make a statement. When that is done, the Council can take the matter under consideration and determine whether it can take any action to bring about complete agreement. But certainly it cannot deny to a Member of the United Nations that states that a condition exists which is likely to threaten international peace and security, even the opportunity to present its case.
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Made before the Security Council in New York City on the morning of March 26; reprinted from Department of State Bulletin, April 7, 1946, p. 568. The statement, with substantial language changes, is printed in SC, 1st yr., 1st ser., No. 2, p. 11.
For an account of the meetings of the Security Council on March 26 and of the discussions preceding the morning meeting, see telegram 6, March 26, from New York, p. 383.
In telegram 949, March 26, from Moscow, Stalin was quoted as saying in a press statement: “… As regards the question of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Iran, it, as is known, has already been solved in a positive sense by agreement between the Soviet Government and the Government of Iran.” (861.24591/3–2646)
↩ - Made before the Security Council on the morning of March 26; reprinted from SC, 1st yr., 1st ser., No. 2, p. 13. The statement, with minor changes, is printed in the Department of State Bulletin, April 7, 1946, p. 570.↩