Evening star., 1946-03-27
Americans, British
Doubt That Soviet
Will Quit Azerbaiijjan
BY the Associated Press

TEHERAN, Mar. 27.-Prince
Mozaffar Firouz, political under
secretary of state and director OF
propaganda, said today that the
Russian evacuation of Kazvin, 80
miles northwest of Teheran, "has
begun and should be completed
within three or four days"
United States and British diplo-
matte officials said, however. that
despite Russian troop movements
northward they were not yet sure
that the Red Army intended to
withdraw completely from the semi
autonomous Iranian province of
Azerbaijan.
Firouz denied that any secret
agreement existed between Iran
and the Soviet Union concerning
the Russian evacuation.
THE Russian reference to an 'un-
derstanding' on the evacuation
question refers to their obligation
under the tripartite treaty" of l942
of Russia, Britain and Iran, he said
Continuation of Evacuation.
The evacuation began, he said
with the withdrawal of Soviet forces
from Meshed, Shahrud and Sem
nan, east and northeast Of Teheran
on March 2.
The present movement he termed
a continuation of the evacuation OF
Iran as demanded by Prime Minis
ter Qavam on the visit to Moscow. u
Foreign military observers return
ing from fight over Kazvin, North
Iran headquarters OF the Russian
Army, said the railroad yards are
lined with piles of supplies and
equipment, including % tanks"
A Russian checkpost south of Kaz-
vim, however. continued to be the
northernmost point Of travel in this
country for foreign reporters. The
Russian vice consul, asked today in
an Associated Press application for
permission to visit the north had
been approved, replied: Our tele-
gram to the commandant at Kazvil
has not been answered" The ap-
plication was filed three weeks ago
after an earlier application had been
rejected by the commander with the
explanation that the time is in
opportune."
Evacuating Unit Re-encamps.
Offcial Iranian, British and Amer
lean sources said no reports had
been received of any Russian troops
actually leaving Iran. A British Of
fetal said the Meshed garrison
which started moving northward on
March 2 had re-encamped less than
100 kilometers (62 miles, northwest
Of that Eastern Iranian CITY,"
However, reports from Leyant
motorized express drivers who have
just returned from the Kazyin dis
trict said principal Russian evacua-
ton points from Iran have been
established at Pahlevi and Resht on
the Caspian Sea and that there are
now columns of troops and equip
ment headed that way from the
Kazvin district.
1t was through these Caspian
points that great numbers of Poles
arrived here from Russia in 1912
and it was believed these may be
used by the Russians for their troops
and equipment awaiting transport
either by land or sea to Russia.
Column 40 Miles North Of Kazvin.
The drivers reported that large
Russian camp at Takistan, Is miles
northwest Of Kazvin, virtually has
been evacuated and that other
troops were moving from the direc7
ton of Sharifabad toward Kazvin.
Travellers arriving here said a
small column of troops was seen at
Abhar, 40 miles north of Kazvin.
Reports from Tabriz, capital of
AzerbaiJan, said no indications of
evacuation preparations had yet
been observed in that province,
however.
British Charge d'Affaires Farquar
told reporters at press conference
that he thought the sudden order
for evacuation had caught the Rus
sian general staff unprepared"
1T will take them the five or six
weeks they specified to complete the
movement" Mr.. Farquar said.
Mr.. Farquar pointed out that a
single rail line exists to Mianeh and
the movement Of tanks and heavy
equipment takes time"
Russians Not Joining Kurds.
Meanwhile, column of Russian
combat troops which marched into
the Kurdish section of Southern
Azerbaijan two weeks ago was re-
ported to have deployed to positions
which might be considered as po-
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