Menacing Move by Iran Insurgents

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 283, 30 November 1945, Page 6

Menacing Move by Iran Insurgents

Government Makes Charges Against Soviet (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, Nov. 28. It is announced from Teheran that the rail town cf Zenjan, midway be tween Teheran and Tabriz, has been completely occupied by insurgents from Azerbaijan. The insurgents are now marching on Kazin, the next important centre, 85 miles northwest of Teheran, ancl have already occupied Takistan, nine miles southwest of Kamsain, and also captured the Caspian Sea port of Astara, on the Russian border. A fresli contingent of Persian troops has arrived at Teheran from Shiraz. Iran has made grave charges against the Russian Government in two Notes to Moscow, says the diplomatic correspondent of the Evening News. The first alleges that Russian troops remain in Teheran, contrary to the Potsdam decision, and Russian personnel travel in civilian clothes in army lorries protected by Russian troops, who prevent their examination by the Iranian security forces. The second Note accuses Russia of permitting agitators to enter Persian Azerbaijan to foment a revolt and of preventing the Iranian gendarmerie and other security forces from dealing with the troubles. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent understands that the Kremlin has made it clear to the Iran Government that Russia regards with considerable sympathy the demands of the so-called National Congress f Azerbaijan. The Izvestia yesterday devoted considerably more space to the Azerbaijan demand for autonomy than to- the Nuremberg trial. BRITAIN DISTURBED. The text of the letter from the British Ambassador to Moscow (Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr) to M. Molotov concerning the Red Army’s action in stopping Iranian forces from going to Azerbaijan to quell the uprising there stated that the British Government was disturbed to learn of the incident.

The letter adds: “It seems that the Iran Government should wish to maintain order in its own territory and legitimate that it should move security forces about its own country in order to do so. The Government of the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom under Article I of the treaty of alliance between the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and Iran of January 29, 1942, are pledged to respect the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Iran and Article IV lays down that the presence of Allied forces on Iranian territory does not constitute military occupation and will disturb as little as possible the administration and security force of Iran. Moreover in the threc-Power declaration concerning Iran issued on December 1, 1913, the Governments of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed their desire for the maintenance; of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran. “My Government therefore feels that the action of the Soviet military authorities in stopping the Iranian forces en route to Azerbaijan must be due to some misunderstanding of the postion and trusts that the Soviet Government will feel able to instruct its commander not to obstruct the movements of Iranian forces or interfere with the Iran Government in the exercise of its sovereign right of maintaining order in its own territory.” SMALL NATIONS’ TRUST. The United States Note to Moscow on the developments in Iran, says the Washington correspondent of the New York Herald-Tribune, called on Russia to play her part in convincing all the small nations that they could place full trust in the five permanent members ol the United Nations Organisation Secur ity Council. It was implied that Russia should make such a move before the United Nations Organisation General Assembly meets in London in January so that the little nations’ doubts may be removed.

State Department officials said the Note was most important. It is said to have stated: “Nations such as Iran were encouraged at the San Francisco Conference to place full trust in the friendly intentions and goodwill of the security council's permanent members. The United States Government is confident that Russia and Britain are not less anxious than the United States in dealing with nations such as Iran to follow a line of action which will make it clear that such trust has not been misplaced.”