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memorandum[1] setting forth the contentions of the Iranian Government in the dispute which has arisen between the Iranian Government and the Soviet Government. This dispute has been brought by the Iranian Government to the attention of the Security Council, under Article 35 of the Charter, in a note[2] dated 19 January 1946 communicated to Mr. Gladwyn Jebb, Acting Secretary-General.
I would like to emphasize that the Iranian Government regrets no less than any other Member Government of the United Nations that the organization has been faced at the commencement of its work with a situation in Iran and should have to deal with a dispute between two of its Members. The Iranian Government sincerely deplores that it finds itself in dispute with a country with which it not only has a long-standing friendship, but which is also its ally under the Tri-Partite Treaty of Alliance of 29 January 1942.[3] Iran helped in no small measure towards Soviet victory by placing her entire resources at the disposal of the Allies for the prosecution of the war. Very considerable quantities of war supplies reached the Soviet Union by way of Iran, which was then almost the only route open. Iranian railways, roads and all means of transport were utilized for this purpose, even at the cost of depriving the Iranian population of food supplies.
I would remind the Council of the fact that the assistance given by Iran in the prosecution of the war against the common enemy, particularly by facilitating the transportation of supplies from overseas to the Soviet Union, was officially recognized in the Tehran Declaration, signed on 1 December 1943, by Mr. Churchill, Marshal Stalin and President Roosevelt. Iran broke off diplomatic relations with the Axis Powers, Germany and Italy, in September 1941; it declared war on Germany on 9 September 1943 and on Japan towards the end of February 1945.
The memorandum which I am handing in presents the facts which are relevant to this most unfortunate dispute. It will be seen that the Iranian Government has sought a solution of this dispute by direct approach to the Soviet Government and, in accordance with Article 33 of the Charter, has sought to reach this solution by negotiation. As you will see from the appendices to the memorandum, the Iranian Government has addressed to the Soviet Government a number of notes setting forth the interventions on the part of Soviet authorities in internal affairs in breach of Iranian independence and sovereignty, and has requested the Soviet Government to discuss and remedy these matters.
