Coll 28/67 ‘Persia. Annual Reports, 1932–’ [‎267r] (533/644)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS T)fm *NN Ic'-MjiNfY'S GOVERNMENT
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PERSIA. ^7*
CONFIDENTIAL.
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April 29, 1943.
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Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden—{Received 2^th April 1943.)
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Sir 121 ^ Tehran. 26£.4 March. 1943. PhA/A!
, ’ WITH reference to my despati^J^Jm^enclosing the Annual Political
K Report for 1941, of the 26th May, 1942, I have the honour to transmit to you
herewith a brief review of the principal events of 1942 so far as they affected oui
2. I am indebted to Mr. Hankey for the body of the report, but valuable
contributions have been made by Mr. Holman, Mr. Squire, Major-General Fraser,
Military Attache, Mr. Trott. Oriental Secretary and Mr Cumberbatch ,
3 I am sending; a copy of this despatch and its enclosure to His Majesty s
Minister of State at Cairo and to His Excellency the Viceroy of India.
I have, &c.,
R. W. BULLARD.
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Enclosure.
Report on Political Events of 1942.
The Treaty of Alliance.
THE Anglo Soviet Persian Treaty of Alliance was signed on the
29th January, after a lengthy debate in the Majlis and endless attempts at
procrastination and amendment by the Deputies and the Persian Government
2. For convenience of reference the following very brief summary ot tne
treaty may be given here. Great Britain and the U.S.S.R. jointly and se\era iy
undertook (article I) “to respect the territorial integrity, the sovereignty and the
political independence of Persia,” and (article III (1)) “ to defend Persia by all
means at their command from all aggression.” . . . Persia undertook (article 111
(2) (a)) to co-operate with the Allied Powers in every way possible in order that
they may be able to fulfil this undertaking; and (by article III (2) (b)) to give tne
Allies, for certain military purposes, the “ unrestricted right to use maintain,
u-uard’and, in case of military necessity, control . . all the means of communi
cation throughout Persia; to assist in obtaining material and recruiting labour,
and to establish a censorship. . .
3. Article IV (1) stated that the Allied Powers could maintain on Persian
territory land, sea and air forces, but it was specifically stated that iheir piesence
did not constitute a military occupation, and would disturb as little as possible
the administration and economic life of Persia.
4. Under article V. the Allied forces were to be withdrawn from 1 ersian
territory not later than six months after all hostilities between the Allied Powers
and Germany and her Associates had ceased.
5. Under article VII the Allied Powers undertook jointly to use their best
endeavours to safeguard the economic existence of the Persian people against the
privations and difficulties ” resulting from the war.
6. It is safe to say that both sides were disappointed with the carrying out
of the treaty. The Persian Government showed no realisation of shipping and
economic difficulties in the rest pf the world, and tried repeatedly to interpret
article VII as binding the Allies to supply huge quantities of. lorries, motor
tvres, spare parts, cereals and other commodities. The Alllies, on their part,
had to complain that they met with very little co-operation from the Persian
Government and authorities, who made practically no effort to meet the grave
internal difficulties resulting from the war, and demanded the Allies’ assistance
at every turn. On numerous occasions the Allies were unable to get even their
most essential military requirements without the application of the strongest
diplomatic pressure and. once or twice, a virtual threat of force.
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