Evening star., 1946-03-22
Iran Joins Opposition
To Soviet Request for
Delay in UN0 Council
BY the Associated Press

NEW YORK, Mar. 22.-Iran,
which has protested to the
United Nations the presence of
Russian troops on it's oil-rich
territory, formally aligned itself
with the United States today in
opposing a Soviet request that
the meeting of the 11-nation
Security Council be delayed 16
days.
Such postponement-which would
set back the opening meeting from
next Monday to April 10-would sin
evitably result in increased harm to
the interests of Iran," Hussein Ala,
Iranian Ambassador, said in letter
to Trygve Lie, UNO secretary gen.
eral.
The Iranian letter came several
hours after President Truman fatty
declared that the scheduled meeting
Of the powerful Security Council
would not be postponed and that the
United States delegation would press
for action on the Iranian case.
Gromyko Warns Against Action.
But Andrei A. Gromyko, Russian
Ambassador, told reporters in WASH
ington that Council action now on
the Iranian dispute would merely
complicate it in view of direct Russo
Iranian negotiations. Russia had
requested postponement of the meet
ing on the grounds that it needed
more time to prepare its side of the
case.
Unanimous agreement by the
members of the council is needed
to postpone the meeting, and oppo-
sition to the delay already has been
voiced by representatives of China,
Australia and Great Britain. Iran
Is not member of the council.
Hussein Alas letter, released here
last night by UNO officials, said the
Iranian government hoped that con-
sideration of its case against the
Soviet Union will not be delayed"
"At 1.-The conference in London"
the letter said, decision was post
poned upon the merits of the earlier
dispute pending negotiation between
the par1ies.'
"State Of Affairs Very Grave"
These negotiations have failed.
Meanwhile, March 2. the date fixed
by the tripartite treaty, has passed
and the Soviet troops have not been
withdrawn. The obligation of the
Soviet government to withdraw its
forces from Iran is not a proper
subject for negotiation under the
charter of the United Nations or
the constitution of Iran.
"The delays thus far permitted
have intensified the critical condi-
tions in my country caused by the
failure Of the Soviet Union to with
draw these troops. The state of af-
fairs is very grave and further de-
lays would inevitably result In in
creased harm to the interests of
Iran.
Il shall be greatly obliged if you
will have the kindness to COM
municate these views Immediately
to the members of the Security
Council"
Council members are the United
States, Russia, Great Britain,
France, China, Australia, Brazil,
Poland, Holland, Egypt and Mexico.
Provisional Agenda Up First.
Earlier Benjamin Cohen of Chile.
assistant secretary general of UNO,
said the council would meet Mon
day and that the first item for
consideration would be the pro-
visional agenda.
The agenda, as it now stands, in
cludes a report of the rules COM
mittee, report of a committee on
procedure and the Iranian protest.
he said.
Mr.. Cohen said Iranian represent
atives may be permitted to address
the Council and added that they
would be seated at the Council table
after being invited.
The only possibility that the
Iranian case might not come up on
Monday stems from the fact that
Monday marks the beginning of the
permanent UNO establishment in
the United States, the first day.
therefore, may be devoted to
speeches of welcome by Secretary
of State Byrnes and other officials,
If these formalities dominate Mon
days program, the question of when
to begin hearings on Trans appeal
probably will not come up until
Tuesday.