The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-26


 ian ambassador there, Mahommed Saed, had urged his government to withdraw troops from the frontier and not to resist.
 Fear German Sabotage
 The chief danger as seen here was that the thousands of German agents in Iranian key posts, to oust whom the invasion was started, might commit damaging acts of sabotage.
 News from the front was scant. But 1t was indicated that both British and Russian armies were using motorized columns which combined striking power with ex- treme mobility, and that the chief objectiveS were Tehran, the oil fields and Bushire.
 There were suggestions that suc- ceeding days would show that both Russia and Britain had moved sev- eral forces into Iran in their at- tempt to seize all key points quick ly, before the Germans could do much damage, and to impress the Iranians with the futility of resist ance.
 Indications here were that both Turkey and Afghanistan resented the Anglo-R Russian march and felt | increasingly anxious over their own situation, and that Britain and Russia would seek to clean up the Iranian situation as quickly and as bloodlessly as possible to empha- size that they had been forced to move in because of German threat, and had no designs on Trans independence or territory.
 It was emphasized that the Brit ish government was still willing to | negotiate with Iran at any time, so long as it was understood that German agents were to be busted. l
 Speed Necessary
 Britain was impressed with the necessity for speed and efficiency partly because of its anxiety over the situation on the Ukranian front where 8 great German victory would bring threat to Russia's Caucasus oil fields.
 Britons were immensely cheered by the news that their army, in CO., operation with Russia's, had moved into Iran.
 "The occupation marks the well come beginning of the no non- sense' phase of British policy" said the Daily Mail in 8 typical editor ial. We with the Russians march ed in without waiting for German fomented opposition to consoli- date. Iran is the missing piece in the defensive rampant designed to kep Hitler from the spells of Asia"
 First Communique
 Simla, India, Aug. 26- CUP) = British general headquarters an- nounced in its first communique on the Iran campaign today that Indian forces had taken the Iranian port of Bandar Shahpur and captured seven Axis ships.
 British air borne troops were landed in the Iranian oil region to protect families of employees of the Angelo-Iranian Oil Company, the communique said
 British forces landed at Bbadan, to the west of Bandar Shahpur at the top of the Persian Gulf, it was announced, while the Indian troops proceeded to secure" Bandar Shah pur.
 British and Indian troops, in- cluding infantry and armored units, advanced at the same time into Iran from the Khanaqin area on the western side.
 The British and Indian troops, VrNA | seized and occupied the important oil installations at Naft-I-Shah without serious opposition" the communique said.
 Consolidating their positions, they took the small town of Qasr-I-S -Shirin nearby,
 At Bandar Shahpur, the communi- que said, the Indian troops captured two German ships, damaged in the attack; three Italian ships, slightly damaged, and two German ships which were beached. Crews were captured.
 'The rapidity with which the operation was carried out has so far resulted in minimum loss to the Iranians, the communique said.
 COmpleCe NepOrt
 The full communique was:
 British and Indian troops entered Iran at three points in the early hours of Monday.
 Naval and air cooperation en- abled the landing of 8 force at Ahadan and 8 detachment of Indian troops also secured Bandar Shah pur, where two German ships (dam- aged), three Italian ships (only slightly damaged) and two further German ships, which had been beached, were captured with their crews.
 Steps were taken by air borne troops to give protection to British families in the employ of the Anglo Iranian oil Go.
 Indian and British troops, in- cluding infantry and armored units, advanced simultaneou into Iran from Khanaquin.
 "Oil installations at Naft-I-Shah and the small town of Asr-I-Shirin were occupied without any serious and there was no indi- cation of hostile feeling on the part of the inhabitants.
 "T,he rapidity with which the operation was carried out has so far resulted in 8 minimum loss being inflicted on Iranian personnel. Leaflets were dropped by Royal Air Force bombing planes on Tehran and other towns in Iran explaining the reasons for the operations and streSsing that we have no quarrel with the Iranian people and no de- signs on their independence of taxrfkoxz,