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  Selected Secret Documents from Soviet Foreign Policy Documents Archives - 1919 to 1941

Concentrated on 1st and  2nd WW Correspondence and Meetings related to Turkey, Balkans and Iran, with some additions from Afghanistan and India.

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Recording of the conversation of the ambassador of the USSR in Turkey Vinogradov with the minister of foreign affairs of Turkey

Saracoglu

August 30, 1941 secret

I visited Saracoglu. I read to him the text of the note of the Soviet government handed today to the Iranian government, and then conveyed the assurance of the Soviet government to the Turkish government in connection with our action in Iran *.

Saracoglu said: ʺI am very grateful to the Soviet government for the attention it showed to the Turkish government over the entire period of the development of this case.ʺ

I pointed out that the Soviet government considered it its duty to keep the Turkish government informed of this issue, and stressed that the Soviet government was forced to use the right granted to it by article 6 of the 1921 treaty in view of the danger posed by German activities in Iran in the created situation.

Saracoglu replied to my last words that he is aware of this.

I then expressed the hope that the Turkish government would perceive the action of the Soviet government in Iran as it is indicated in our note and as it can be expected from a friendly country.

Saracoglu said: ʺthe Turkish government will certainly study this issue from the point of view of friendly relations between Turkey and the USSR, on the one hand, and friendly and allied relations between Turkey and Great Britain, on the other.ʺ

Saracoglu then asked me to send him, if possible, a copy of the note we handed to the Iranian government.

I promised to send it as soon as I receive the French text. Saracoglu then pointed out that events are developing very quickly. He noted that when the British ambassador came to him today to convey this assurance, he greeted him with the words: ʺas if you will have breakfast in Tehran today?ʺ ‐ and added that he had already heard the message from Reuters on the radio that British troops had crossed the Iranian border. The British ambassador did not yet know about this. I inquired about the ministerʹs opinion on how further events will develop.

Saracoglu said: “two days ago, I hoped that this issue would be settled peacefully. I had this hope only two days ago, after my conversation with the Iranian ambassador. On Friday, august 22, when the Iranian ambassador was with me, I conveyed my last message to him, and the ambassador then posed a question to me: if the Iranian government would agree in principle with the proposals of the Soviet and British governments and if it had disagreements only if they were fulfilled and whether the Iranian government can count on the assistance of the Turkish government to achieve a peaceful resolution of these issues.

I replied to the Iranian ambassador that if the Iranian government expresses its agreement in principle and only the terms of application will be discussed, the Turkish government will make every effort to help resolve this issue. After this conversation with the Iranian, I had the impression that the Iranian government is ready to accept the proposals of the British and Soviet governments. On Saturday, I informed the British ambassador about my conversation with the Iranian ambassador and about the impression that I got from this conversation. ʺ

....................

On behalf of the government on behalf of the government

Union of Soviet United Kingdom

Socialist republics of Great Britain

And Northern Ireland a. Mikoyan r. Stafford Cripps

Avp rf, f. For ‐ Great Britain, d. 107.