501.BC/3–2046: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Stettinius) to the Secretary of State
17. With the Soviet delegate absent for the second consecutive day, the United Nations Security Council at a public meeting Friday,61 unanimously adopted a U.S. proposal calling on Russia and Iran to report to the Council the existing status of negotiations between these two Governments.
As a result of this action, Secretary-General Trygve Lie was instructed by the Council Chairman Dr. Quo Tai-Chi to request the Soviet and Iranian Governments to forward this information in time for the next Council meeting on Wednesday morning, April 3, at 11 o’clock. At this time the Council will decide whether to consider immediately substance of the Iranian complaint that the presence of Soviet troops and agents in Iran poses a threat to international peace and security.
The proposal, introduced by Secretary of State James F. Byrnes, was promptly endorsed by the nine other delegates present. Under its terms the Soviet Union and Iran are specifically asked to advise whether the reported withdrawal of Russian troops from Iran is conditional upon the conclusion of agreements between the two Governments on other subjects.
Byrnes’ original statement asked for the information to be forwarded in time for a meeting of the Security Council next Tuesday, April 2. Some delegates favored a longer period and Chairman Quo compromised by setting Wednesday morning, April 3, as the date for the next session.
The U. S. statement took note of the fact assurances have been given the Council by the Soviet representative that the Soviet Union has commenced to withdraw its troops from Iran; that it is the intention of the Soviet Government to proceed with the withdrawal of its troops as rapidly as possible; and that barring “unforeseen circumstances” the withdrawal of all Soviet troops from the whole of Iran will be completed within 5 or 6 weeks.
The statement delivered by Byrnes continued:
“The Iranian representative has stated that the dispute with the [Page 397] Soviet Union arises from the continued presence of Soviet troops in Iran beyond the date stipulated for their withdrawal in the Tripartite Treaty of Jan. 29, 1942, and has requested the Council to recommend their prompt and unconditional withdrawal!”
It also recalled the Soviet representative’s announcement that the withdrawal was being made in accordance with an understanding with the Iranian Government has not been confirmed by the Iranian Goverment.
The statement also said that assurances given the Council by Gromyko had not been completely unqualified, but are subject to change in the event of “unforeseen circumstances”, and added that apparently negotiations on certain matters are still proceeding between the two governments about which the Council is not fully informed.
It pointed out that if the Council should see fit to recommend the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Iran, the withdrawal could not be completed in a substantially shorter period than the 5 or 6 weeks’ time limit specified by the Russian delegate.
“But the members of the Council must be solicitous to avoid any possibility of the presence of Soviet troops in Iran being used to influence or coerce the Government of Iran in negotiations with the Soviet Government. If the Council could obtain more adequate and exact information regarding the status of any negotiations between the Soviet and the Iranian Government, the Council might be able to satisfy itself that the assurances of the Soviet Government as to the prompt withdrawal of troops from Iran are in fact for all practical purposes unconditional. In that event there might be no need for the Council to go into the substantive issues, provided it reserved the right to both parties to have the case immediately taken up by the Council should there be any developments which threaten to retard the withdrawal of troops,” Byrnes’ statement said.62
[Page 398]All delegates present not only endorsed Byrnes’ statement, but also took occasion to thank the U. S. Secretary for presenting it.
Shortly after the meeting opened, Chairman Quo invited Hussein Ala, Iranian Ambassador, to join Council members in their discussion on procedural aspects of the Iranian issue. Ala proceeded to answer questions, three of which were asked by the Polish delegate just before the close of Wednesday’s (March 26) open session.
Ala said that his Government’s instructions were broad and clear and gave him discretion to act as he saw fit in behalf of Iran. He added that he had acted in accord with his instructions and had reported all he had done to his Government.
Ala said that he had no information, official or otherwise, that any Soviet troops have returned to Russia from Iran, although they may have moved within Iran. He declared that there could be no true negotiations between the two countries while Soviet troops remained in Iran and that the Iranian Prime Minister had instructed him to urge the Security Council to recommend that Russian armed forces be evacuated unconditionally.
The Iranian Ambassador pointed out that one of the reasons why the Prime Minister had asked him to act was that as head of the Iranian Government he wanted to be free of pressure from any outside Government. He also stated in reply to a question that the new Iranian Parliament could not be elected until foreign troops are withdrawn unconditionally from Iran, explaining that such a stipulation had been voted by the last Parliament before it went out of office.
In regard to Gromyko’s assertion that only details of a Soviet-Iranian agreement remained unsettled, Ala said that at best such was a misunderstanding. No agreement has been concluded and the indefinite character of the Soviet assurances increases tension in Iran, Ala declared, in urging immediate Security Council consideration of the Iranian complaint.
- March 29; for the official record of the proceedings of the Security Council on that date, see SC, 1st yr., 1st ser., No. 2, pp. 70–82.↩
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For the full text of Mr. Byrnes’ statement, see SC, 1st yr., 1st ser., No. 2, p. 74, or Department of State Bulletin, April 21, 1946, p. 620. Telegram 19, March 29, 10 p.m., (relayed to Tehran in Department’s 258), which furnished the text to the Department was signed by Mr. Byrnes and concluded as follows: “As I emphasized in conversation with Ambassador Ala today it is essential that the Iranian Government make clear to the Council the exact status of its conversations with the Soviet and the extent to which, if any, conditions are attached to the promised withdrawal of Soviet troops. I suggested to Ala that it might be appropriate for the PriMin to inform the Soviet Ambassador that in view of the demand by the Security Council for information it [he] could no longer refrain from making a statement regarding the pending negotiations dealing with the question of whether the withdrawal of troops was conditional upon agreements on other matters. The Premier might also express the hope to the Soviet Ambassador that the Soviet Government would inform the Council that no conditions were attached to the promised withdrawal of the troops and would make a similar statement to the PriMin so that there would be no discrepancy in the reports by the Soviet and Iranian Governments to the Council. If the Soviet Government could not do this, the PriMin might make clear he would have to inform the Council that the withdrawal of troops had been made conditional upon agreement on other subjects.
“Urgent action is necessary in view of date set for replies.” (861.24591/3–2946)
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