The July 23 revolution and pacts (34). Soviet reaction (iii). ‘A neighbourly threat'.What was predicted in 1921 and again in 1931 had come true. Iran's accession to the Baghdad Pact was considered by Moscow as an unfriendly and even hostile move of the type referred to in Article Six of the Russo-Persian Treaty referred to in the previous article of this series. The Egyptian Gazette of October 13, 1955 front-paged Moscow's immediate reaction to Iran's accession to the Baghdad Pact under a banner headline: Soviets protest to Iran over pact move. Contrary to friendly relations between the two countries. The Gazette report said: “The Soviet Union today protested to Iran against her decision to join the Turkey-Iraqi defence pact. Moscow Radio reported. “The Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov received the Iranian Charge D'Affaires in Moscow, Entezam, and told him Iran's adherence to the military grouping would be ‘contrary to the friendly relations between Persia and the Soviet Union'. “Moscow Radio said Molotov told the Iranian diplomat that ‘the Soviet Union learned from reports published in the press that the government of Iran intends to accede to the Turkey-Iraqi-Pakistani military alliance ��" the so-called Baghdad Pact in which Britain is also taking part. “The Soviet government has no information on this subject from the Iranian government but cannot fail to attach grave importance to the aforementioned reports. The Soviet government deems it necessary to state in this connection the following: “The conclusion of the Baghdad Pact meant the formation of a military grouping in the Near and Middle East, which is an instrument of certain aggressive circles that are not interested in the consolidation of peace and international security. “The creation of such an alignment has, at the same time, the aim of preserving the colonial dependence of countries of the region. The accession of Iran to this military alignment is incompatible with the interests of consolidating peace and security in the region of the Middle and Near East and conflicts with the good neighbourly relations between Persia and the Soviet Union and certain treaty obligations of Persia (reference to the 1921 Treaty between the two countries/the author). Other Russian sources expressed fears that Iran might become a military base operating against the interests of the Soviet Union. They predicted that in this case, Russia may invoke Article Six of the 1921 Iran-Soviet Treaty. This permits Russia to send troops into Iran if the latter should be considered a threat. [email protected]
