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July 2, 1952

From the Journal of G. M. Pushkin, 'Reception of Iranian Ambassador to the USSR Nadir Arasteh'

This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation

TOP SECRET Copy Nº 3

2 July 1952

 

FROM THE JOURNAL OF  

G. M. PUSHKIN         

   Nº 69/GP

 

RECEPTION  

OF IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE USSR NADIR ARASTEH

 

2 July 1952

 

I received Arasteh at his request. He passed me a copy of a note handed to Cde. Sadchikov in Tehran on 1 July by Minister of Foreign Affairs Kazemi (attached).

 

This note is the reply of the Iranian government to the 21 May 1952 note of the Soviet government handed by Cde. A. Ya. Vyshinsky to Arasteh, the Ambassador of Iran in Moscow.

 

I informed Arasteh that the content of the note will be conveyed to the Soviet government.

 

The reception lasted five minutes. Cde. Zudin, 1st Secretary of the OBSV [Near and Middle East Department], was present at the conversation.

 

[signature]

G. PUSHKIN

 

Distributed to

Cdes. Stalin

Molotov

Malenkov

Beria

Mikoyan

Kaganovich

Bulganin

Khrushchev

 

[Stamp:] Secretariat of V. M. Molotov

3 July 1952

Incoming Nº M-9101ss

 

Handed to Cde. G. M. Pushkin by Ambassador

of Iran Arasteh during a 2 July 1952 conversation

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, presenting its compliments to the Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in reply to the 21 May note of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics delivered personally by His Excellency USSR Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. A. Ya. Vyshinsky to Iranian Ambassador to the USSR Mr. Arasteh, has the honor to describe below the text of a letter of 4 Ordibehesht (24 April 1952) from Prime Minister of Iran Dr. Mossadegh to US Ambassador Loy Henderson:

 

Mr. Ambassador,

 

"In addition to verbal discussions I consider it necessary to convey to you information that in connection with the financial and economic situation my Government is accepting the aid which Your Government has expressed readiness to give Iran and, in accordance with the resources and general situation of Iran, defends and supports the UN Charter and also strengthens inasmuch as this is possible our defense capacity and will uphold its freedom and independence with all its strength in the event of attack, from wherever it might come".

 

It is demonstrably clear from this letter that the Government of Iran has not taken any responsibility upon itself other than those responsibilities which all UN member Governments take upon themselves and are responsible for observing, including the Government of the USSR. Therefore there are no grounds for the assumptions which the Soviet Government has made.

 

As regards the statement of Mr. Busheri, the Minister of Railways, then it is cited below:

 

On the 28th of Esfand 1330 (19 March 1952) he stated that, "In current conditions, the Government of the US has agreed to permit American officers to temporarily remain in Iran in order that both Governments have sufficient time to discuss the future status of these officers; the Council of Ministers has decreed that the law of the 1st of Aban 1322 (24 October 1943) is to apply to these officers with respect to compensation and benefits until their status is finally determined, and on the 7th of Ordibehesht 1331 (27 April 1952) he made the statement to which they refer in the Soviet Government's note. Mr. Busheri stated the following, "As I have stated previously, the military specialists will continue their work as before until the Government makes a subsequent decision". From this statement it is clear that the assumptions and conclusions made in the above note about the Iranian Army and other issues touched upon in the note have no basis. The Government of Iran has never taken such actions in violation of the 26 February 1921 Treaty of Friendship and the Government of Dr. Mossadegh has never pursued any other policy than a policy of neutrality; it hopes that the good-neighborly, friendly relations which have so happily existed between the Governments of Iran and the USSR will strengthen and grow with each day.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran takes the opportunity to give assurances of its highest respect.

 

10.4.1331.   Nº 1935

 

TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNION

OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS

Tehran

(the orthography and punctuation are as in the original)

 

Note: the European dates were entered when duplicating the note.

 

Authenticated: [illegible signature]

 

Account of meeting between G. M. Pushkin and Nadir Arasteh, along with a copy of the note passed to Pushkin by Arasteh, as a response to the note he received from Vyshinsky.



Document Information

Source

RGASPI, f. 82, op. 2, d. 1219, l. 109-111. Obtained by Jamil Hasanli and translated for CWIHP by Gary Goldberg.

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Original Uploaded Date

2013-12-05

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Diary Entry Memorandum of Conversation Note

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Record ID

119169

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Leon Levy Foundation