Evening star., 1946-03-27
Showdown on Iran
Slated This Afternoon
For Security Council
Continued From First Page.)

today the "other matters" had to
do with interference" by Rus
sia in the internal affairs of Iran,.
specifically Russia's action pro-
hibiting Iranian forces from NOV
ing into Azerbaijan to cope with
"insurrection" there.)
Whole Situation Serious.
The whole situation was regarded
as most serious. Just what would
be the effect of Russia's declining to
attend sessions of the council while
the 1ranian case was being pre-
sented was a puzzle. Attention was
called to the fact that Mr.. Gromyko
mad not threatened that his govern
ment would withdraw from the or
ganlzation. But that strained rela-
tions would exist between the Soviet
government and the council was re-
garded as foregone conclusion.
Representatives of the American
and British governments said they
were at loss to understand why
Russia should persist in not having
the whole situation ventilated. par
tlcularly if an understanding with
Iran has been reached.
In some quarters it was suggested
that Russia had exerted pressure
on Iran to obtain concessions for
the withdrawal of Russian troops.
and that this might be the explana-
ton to Russia's unwillingness to
have the situation canvassed by the
Council at this time. Such action
would not be in conformity with
the principles of the United Nations
Charter.
Six Hours of Debate.
For six hours yesterday the debate
ragged over the Iranian- Russian case
and what should be done about it.
Mr.. Gromyko, RusSia'S Ambassador
and representative on the Security
Council, not only initiated the fight
against discussion of the Tranian
complaint against his government,
but carried the burden of the argu-
ment hour after hour in the tense
atmosphere of the Council chamber.
His only ally was the Polish Min
lister, Oscar Lange, who spoke and
voted for the Russian position.
Mr.. Gromyko's first effort was to
have the Iranian complaint deleted
from the agenda of the Council.
He argued that the negotiations be-
tween Russia and Iran had made
much progress-as evidenced by
the announcement that Russian
troops weer moving out of Iran and
would be completely evacuated in
five or six weeks. He took Secretary
Byrnes and Sir Alexander Cadogan
to ask for their insistance on having
the case kept in the agenda.
1t seemed from the start, how
ever, that the Russian was arguing
against odds and that he would
lose. Members of the Council felt
that the United Nations agency was
entitled to hear reports from both
Russia and Iran on the progress
of the negotiations, and what agree
ment, if any, had been entered
into. They contended that the
Council when it sat in London had
agreed to the direct negotiations
between the two nations, with the
understanding that the Council
would be kept informed and that it
would have the right at any time
to reopen the case.
Mr.. Gromyko, speaking earnestly
and f1uently, and at times with con-
sarcasm, put up a good
argument. Again and again his op-
ponents made the point that it was
unfair to Iran to hear report only
from Russia, and that any member
Of the United Nations had a right
to be heard by the Council in mat
ters of special interest" to the
nation involved, under the terms of
the United Nations Charter.
Says Iranians Are Satisfied.
Mr.. Gromyko at one point sug-
gested that members of the Council,
if they desired, might learn from
Iran itself whether it was satisfied
with the way the negotiations were
going. He charged Mr.. Byrnes and
Sir Alexander with being more
1ranian than the Iranians, who ap-
parently are satisfied" and declared
there is no reason for doubling the
Veraclty of the Soviet government"
IN its statements of agreement with
the Teheran regime
In the end. Mr.. Gromyko and
his Polish ally were sWamped bv
two votes in the Council. The FIRST
LOST.