Evening star., 1941-08-25
a, the Associated Press.

6y tnc hsooNIdlcu firSs-
LONDON, Aug. 25.-The teIt
OF todays British Foreign Office
statement on Iran:
During the past month the British
government have repeatedly warned
the Iranian government of potential
dangers arising from the presence
in Iran of an excessively large Ger
man colony.
Germans resident in Iran as in
other countries have long been sub
jected to the organized discipline Of
the German Nazi party.
AS in other neutral countries Ger
man authorities have endeavored
to pursue in Iran a policy Of inf1l-
tration by sending their agents to
mingle with and to replace the
resident German community.
The attention of the Iranian gov
ernment has therefore frequently
been called to the desirability in
the interests of Iran herself of
taking effective steps to check this
process of infiltration.
1t has been pointed out that the
presence of a large number Of Ger
man technical experts and agents
in various parts OF Iran employed
in factories and public works as well
as on roads and railways and in
many other important posts, cannot
fail to constitute q serious danger
to the maintenance of Iranian
neutrality.
I The fact that the Germans oc-
cupy in Iran so many key positions
in industry and communications
gives them unique facilities for
doing so.
1t has also been made clear to
the 1ranian government that the
British government regard this as
matter of grave concern to them
selves.
Underground measures taken by
the German government to spread
German influence in Iran and to
establish eventually German control
and domination in that country OBJ
viously constitute serious danger for
the 1ranian government themselves
as well as British interests in Iran;
but they are also danger to neigh
boring countries.
India clearly cannot disinterest
herself from such developments in
adjacent territory.
1raQ also Is closely concerned,
especially since the Germans in Iran
are known to have played a part
in the revolt last April against the
legal government at Baghdad and
In subsequent events when the rebels
were induced to take up arms
against Iraq's British allies. Soviet
Russia also when she was attacked
by Germany took a serious view of
the threat to Russian interests
caused by German activities in Iran.
Towards the middle of July the
British government, realizing that
representation made at Teheran
for many months past had remained
without effect, instructed the Brit
ish minister again to impress upon
the Iranian government as matter
OF utmost urgency the need for TAX
ing immediate action.
The German invasion of Soviet
Russia, by extending the zone OF
hostilities to include one of the
countries adjacent to Iran, had OBJ
viously greatly increased the neces-
sity for an early settlement of this
problem.
Sir r. Bullard was accordingly
instructed to press for a drastic re-
duction in the number of Germans
who were permitted to remain in the
country.
Parallel action was taken by the
Soviet Ambassador at Teheran on
instructions from his government
In their reply to this strong rec
ommendation Iranian authorities
appeared to recognize in principle
the wisdom Of the advice offered
them by his majesty's government
and the Soviet government. They
indicated they were taking some
steps to reduce the number Of Ger
mans in Iran and admitted the obli-
CATION incumbent upon them to keep
under strict control the activities
of those Germans who remained
No doubt, however, because they
were reluctant to offend the Ger
man government even in defense OF
their own vital interests, the pro-
portion of Germans whom Iranian
authorities actually removed from
the country was very small, and on
August 16 Sir r. Bullard and the
Soviet Ambassador accordingly re-
peated to the Iranian government IN
the most formal and emphatic man.
nsr The visw oe their Two govern.