POSITION IN PERSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26117, 2 April 1946, Page 5

POSITION IN PERSIA

REQUEST BY COUNCIL ASSURANCES AWAITED (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Apl. 1. The British and American delegations to the Security Council are disposed to drop for the time being further consideration of the Persian dispute, provided the Soviet troops are actually moving out of Persia in reasonable numbers and no unsatisfactory answers are received from Moscow and Teheran when the Council meets again on Wednesday. This is reported by the New York Herald-Tribune, which adds that the Teheran reports so far received contain no specific indications that Soviet units are crossing the border into Russia, but messages state that Red Army troops continue the withdrawal from southern and eastern districts of the Russian occupation zone into the northern sector.

The Security Council wants to make negotiations independent of the completion of the withdrawal of troops. The British and American delegations will be willing to accept Moscow assurances provided it really appears from here that the Russian troops are moving out as rapidly as can be expected. Persia, however, must give the Council similar assurances. The Council thereupon could dispose of the Persian complaint, as was done at the London meeting on January 3 when it called on Russia and Persia to attempt direct negotiations and report the results to the Council, which retained the right to request progress information.

The chief of the Persian police, General Zarabi, has been

dismissed, says the Daily Telegraph’s Teheran correspondent. The dismissal, followed by Ghavam Sultaneh’s decision to re- > form the Persian police, has caused deep concern in political circles. Colonel Saffair, a former departmental head, is the new police chief. The appointment is believed to have been made to the restless Tudeh Party leaders, who are critical of the Prime Minister’s refusal to withdraw Persia’s case from the Security Council.