Letter, N. Danilov to B.N. Ponomarev, 'Concerning the Trip of Iranian Cultural Figures to the USSR'

[handwritten:]

Incoming 2662

[faded CPSU CC stamp:

48126

24 December 1955

Subject to return to the

CPSU CC General Department]

["Sovetskaya Kul'tura"

newspaper letterhead]

17 December 1955 to the CPSU CC

to Cde. B N. Ponomarev

Dear Boris Nikolayevich!

I am sending you information "Concerning the trip of Iranian cultural figures to the USSR". It was compiled from materials presented by Cdes. P. KHLOPIKOV (the USSR MFA Press Department) and S. KORSHUNOV (the USSR Minister of Culture's Foreign Relations Directorate). Please provide your opinion about the advisability of publishing it in the near future.

With comradely greetings,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF [signature]

(N. DANILOV)

[handwritten:]

Deputy Editor Cde. [illegible surname]

will be able to decide this issue on his own,

[[after]] consulting with the USSR MFA Press Department

[[two illegible signatures]]

V. Gorbunov

3 January 1956

to the archives

[Attachment]

Concerning the trip of Iranian cultural figures to the USSR

At the invitation of the USSR Ministry of Culture the Soviet Union was recently visited by a delegation of prominent Iranian cultural figures. At the Moscow airfield Mohsen Forugi, the head of the delegation and Director of the Institute of Architecture, gave a statement before a microphone in which he expressed gratitude to the Soviet government for the invitation and the hope that the friendly relations between both countries will continue to strengthen. He said, "Iranian artistic figures are familiar with the works of arts of Soviet writers, have heard much about the workers of Soviet culture, and we would very much like to meet with them personally".

The Iranian cultural figures received a full opportunity to draw their own impressions about the various aspects of the lives of the Soviet people. They met and talked with arts workers of our country, viewed the Tretyakov Gallery, visited the Mosfilm Studio, familiarized themselves with the work of the Moscow State Conservatory, attended a rehearsal of Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth" at the Malyy Theater, and visited the ballet. The delegates also visited Leningrad, Tashkent, and Baku.

On return from the USSR some of the members of the Iranian delegation of arts officials shared their impressions from the trip. Their truthful account provoked very lively interest. Even some reactionary Iranian newspapers published positive reactions about their trip to the USSR

In their statements for the press all the delegation members unanimously noted that they encountered a warm, cordial reception in the USSR, that they were delighted with the achievements of Soviet art, and the success of the Soviet people in all spheres of life. According to a report of the newspaper "Kayhan", delegation member Kerimi declared to its representative that the rapid reconstruction of Leningrad had made an exceptionally great impression on him, who had been in the Soviet Union soon after the Second World War. He noted that officials of the USSR Ministry of Culture had done every thing to grant the wishes of delegation members.

Another Iranian newspaper, "Ettelaat", cited a statement of delegation leader Forugi, "We are quite thankful for the hospitality shown us in the Soviet Union". Forugi added that Soviet artistic figures eagerly told the members of the Iranian delegation about their creative work.

In Tehran 600 people gathered at the VOKS [All-Union Society for Cultural Relations] House of Culture in order to hear architect Forugi's story about the trip; actor [Mahzun] read verses he wrote in the Soviet Union. In an interview with a correspondent of the newspaper "Kayhan" [Mahzun] said "The cordial reception given us was unprecedented". He noted the achievements of the artists of the Uzbek SSR which, in his words, performed their roles in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" very well.

"The strongest impression on the members of the Iranian delegation", wrote the magazine "Handaniha", "was made by the enormous progress in art and in the whole life of the Uzbek SSR'. "Iranian arts figures", notes the "Teherane Mosavvar", viewed the Hermitage in Leningrad with great interest, where their attention was especially drawn by examples of Iranian art. It would be good, pointed out "Teherane Mosavvar", if "the Iranian government invited the director of this Museum to Iran".

All this demonstrates that the Iranian people want to know the truth about the Soviet Union, its peaceloving policy, and the remarkable successes of the free peoples of the USSR, who are building a new and happy life. But the truth gets under someone's skin in Iran.

That is why Iranian reactionaries are trying in every way to muffle the truthful words of their fellow countrymen about the powerful and peaceloving neighbor of Iran, the Soviet Union. As the Iranian press is reporting, the reactionary circles of Iran are trying to obstruct the strengthening and expansion of friendship and cooperation with the peoples of the Soviet Union through threats, persecution, and slanderous inventions.

The actors [Mahzun] and [Deyhim] have been summoned to the military governor's office three times, where they were warned to say nothing about the Soviet Union, and on 18 November [Deyhim] ['s residence] was searched. Albums, photographs, and notebooks with impressions about the Soviet Union were taken from her.

Some of the most reactionary press agencies published slanderous articles about the delegation's trip. However, all these attempts to conceal the truth from the Iranian people did not reach [their] goal.

How do these facts about the statements of individual leading political figures of Iran fit in [with those] they favor strengthening friendship with the Soviet Union?...