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38 responsible for the absence of officials in those provinces, since the presence of those officials would only be useful if Iranian security forces were placed at their disposal.

As explained in my letter of 26 January to the Security Council, the note of 1 December was in no sense a concluded negotiation. On the contrary, it maintained a request of the Iranian Government that the forces should be allowed to proceed to northern Iran.

On 15 December 1945, the eve of the conference of the three Foreign Ministers in Moscow, the Iranian Government addressed a note to Great Britain, the United States of America and the Soviet Union, asking for the complete and immediate evacuation of their territory by the Allied troops. Pending the fulfilment of this request, the Iranian Government asked that foreign military forces stationed in Iran should abstain from interfering with the free movement of Iranian security forces so that security might be re-established.

In the circumstances, the request of Iran, therefore, is that Soviet authorities should cease interfering in the internal affairs of Iran, and that Iranian forces and officials should not be prevented from proceeding freely in and through territory in which Soviet forces are stationed or from the full exercise of their duties, and more particularly that no hindrance should be put in the way of the Iranian security forces proceeding to Azerbaijan or to any part of Iran to restore law and order. In addition, the Iranian Government requests that the Soviet Government give the necessary instructions to effect complete withdrawal of all Soviet troops and officials by 2 March 1946.

I am confident that, in the spirit of justice which animates the new world organization, and in accordance with the principle laid down in Article 2, paragraph 4 of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council will grant Iran's request that pending the completion of the due withdrawal of the Soviet forces, Iran should have full freedom of action in its own territory.

I would like to add that, in presenting these facts, the Iranian delegation is animated by the desire for the maintenance of good relations with the Soviet Union. I have attempted to deal courteously and objectively with the facts of this unfortunate situation, which, it is the earnest hope of the Iranian delegation, will be clarified in the cause of lasting friendship between the Soviet Union and Iran through the recommendation of the Security Council.


 * I invite the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to make such oral statements as might be wished in support of, or in clarification of, the written