Ext 5000/41(3) 'Persia - General Situation (Sept. & Oct. 1941)' [‎104r] (207/466)

3. /
With tb& Compliment*
of the
Under of 3tote
f@r Fore-^n Affair*
-6 OCT 194?
A/yfW
[This telegram is of particular secrecy and
should be retained by the authorised
recipient and not passed on],
[Cypher]
im cabinet distribution.
FROM TEHRAN TO F0R2IGh OFFICE .
Sir R 0 Bullard.
No923
5Th October, 1941.
D: 7. 40 p.rn. 5th October 1941.
R: 10.00 p.m. 5th October 1941.
— tA VSQ &L~jt fc. &*~H^***-,
Repeaced to Government of India., d;^
Gjfr.rlASfncJt - p'*
^$11*
Moscow,
Bagdad,
Cairo,
Angora Saving.
Cof+iPHAjO &<****/.
. i- P P * v- !&%&&.
qoi le^-Ert- n^. WCc.-, vtt -
At ye*v4 C^ cl0 V^ wV '‘ A
I am disturbed by signs that Soviet authorities
here are suspicious of us. According to Governor of
Tehran, Soviet Military Atta did a few days ago, after
'Mb
ienjoining secrecy,
that Briiish were workin
said that Soviet authorities suspected
orking against Soviet interests and
asked hhi tp watch us and report. I might have believed
this to be_ invented to sow dissension between allies
but just then Soviet Military Attachd who had been asked
by our Military Attache for a pass for the Caspian for
two British officers replied in writing that owing to
storms on the Caspian visit would not interest the
officers. Also four Royal Air Force officers who, acting
on orders from Bagdad, asked Soviet Military authorities
for permissipn to return to Iraq via Tabriz and to
inspect Persian aerodromes on the way had waited a week
without re ply,.
2. Suspicioins may be due to fact that before passes
began to be required British officers entered Soviet
°rea rather freely. I understand that the two officers
referred to in paragraph 1 were in fact going on
[ reconnaisance, that a British Intelligence Officer
travelling in Azerbaijan with an American observer was
: arrested by Soviet authorities and interrogated at great
length* and that Soviet Command in Tiflis were very
suspicious at our sending there as Royal Air Force
officer Mr. Lockhart of Anglo-Persian Company. Perhaps
Sqviet Government [? spotted] connexion between such
visits and your appeal to Soviet Ambassador in London
about Azerbaijan tyour telegram Ho. 1813). Acts which
might not disturb other allies might seem highly
suspicious to Soviet minds. It appears on the other hand
that no Soviet officers have attempted to enter territory
occupied by us except as members of official parties and
with our consent and I gather that we should not welcome
such attempt.