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35 certain unruly elements in Azerbaijan sought to cause dissension and disturbances. It would have been an easy matter for the Iranian Government to carry out its duty of re-establishing order if it had been possible for the security forces to proceed to those affected areas. This access was denied, and Iranian troops were halted at the Russian barriers. This, in the submission of the Iranian Government, is clearly an interference in the internal affairs of Iran.

It will be seen from the memorandum that this is only one instance among many. The result has been that whole districts are no longer under the control of the central Government, which, owing to the action of the Soviet authorities, is not able to send troops or officials to these parts. As such action on the part of the Soviet authorities is in contravention of the Tri-Partite Treaty, the Iranian Government urges that the Security Council recommend that the terms of the Tri-Partite Treaty be strictly adhered to; that until the evacuation of Soviet troops from Iranian territory is duly completed, in accordance with their obligations, no action be taken by the Soviet authorities in Iran contrary to this treaty or to the Tehran Declaration, and that troops and officials be allowed to carry out their normal functions of government, and that the authority of the central Government be not interfered with in any way by the Soviet forces or officials in Iran. The Iranian Government also asks that the Security Council should recommend that withdrawal by the Soviet authorities of all moral and material support from the rebels in Azerbaijan or dissident elements elsewhere.

It will be within the recollection of two members of the Security Council, namely the United States of America and Great Britain, that each Government on being informed that Soviet troops had prevented Iranian security forces from proceeding to Azerbaijan, made representations to the Soviet Government that the Government of Iran should have full freedom to send its armed forces to any part of Iran in order to maintain order in its own territory. The representation of the United States was contained in a note dated 24 November 1945, delivered by the United States Ambassador in Moscow to the Soviet Government. This note, after invoking the Treaty of Alliance and the Declaration of Tehran, stated that the fulfillment of the assurances given at Tehran required that “the Government of Iran should have full freedom, without interference from Soviet, British or American military or civil authorities, to move its armed forces through Iran in such a manner as it may consider necessary in order to preserve its authority and to maintain internal security”.