The July 23 revolution and pacts (35). Iran rejects Soviet protest. Iran quickly rejected the Soviet protest (referred to in the previous article of this series). The Egyptian Gazette of October 17, 1954 reported the rejection saying: “Premier Hussein Ali of Iran today denied that Iran was defying Russia by choosing to join the Turkish-Iraqi-Pakistani defence pact. In answer to the Moscow Radio charge, he said: “As it has been reiterated time and again, Iran's relations with the Soviet Union are of the friendliest nature. The pact is definitely defensive, not aggressive. It is not directed against any country.” “Meanwhile, a Russian source said in Teheran that the Soviet Union might also consider joining the pact which was signed in Baghdad earlier this year. ‘If Russia is permitted to join, it will prove that the pact is not directed against her,” the Russian source said. The Egyptian Gazette further reported: “Persia today told Russia that her objections to Persia joining the three-power Baghdad Pact were ‘incorrect and inadmissible.” At a news conference today, Deputy Premier Abdulhussein Hamzavi announced that a memorandum from Premier Hussein Ali had been handed to the Russian Ambassador Anatoli Lavrientiev this morning rejecting Soviet charges that the Pact was ‘an instrument of certain aggressive circles'. “The interpretation given to the provisions of the pact by the Soviet Union is incorrect and inadmissible, said the memorandum. Hamzavi said the memorandum reassured Russia of Persia's friendship and added that ‘adherence to the pact does not in any way mar the friendly relations and good neighbourliness existing between Russia and Persia.' The pact, said the memorandum is an agreement concluded with regard to the United Nations Charter.” The Egyptian Gazette also reported what may be considered a ‘silly political joke or a test balloon': ‘a Russian source said in Teheran that the Soviet Union might also consider joining the pact which was signed in Baghdad earlier this year. If Russia is permitted to join, it will prove that the pact is not directed at her, the Russian source said. The Egyptian Gazette went on to say: ‘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 sent troops into Iran if the latter should be considered a threat.” [email protected]
