WARNINGS IGNORED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 August 1941, Page 5

WARNINGS IGNORED

FAILURE TO EXPEL GERMANS STORY OF DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS. NEED OF SAFEGUARDING VITAL INTERESTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 25. The reasons prompting the British action in Iran are explained by informed quarters in London. Britain, it is pointed out, has repeatedly warned Iran of the potential dangers arising from the presence in Iran of an excessively large German colony long subjected, as in other countries, to the organised discipline of the German Nazi Party. The Soviet also, when attacked by Germany, took a serious view of the threat to Russian interests caused by German activities in Iran. Toward mid-July, Britain realising tha t representations made in Teheran for many months past, had remained without effect, instructed her Minister, S r Reader Bullard, again to impress upon Iran, as a matter of the utmost gravity and urgency, the need for taking immediate action. The German invasion of Russia, by extending the zone of hostilities to include one of the countries adjacent to Iran, obviously greatly increased the necessity for an early settlement of the problem. Sir Reader Bullard was accordingly instructed to press for a drastic reduction of the German colony. The Soviet took parallel action. In reply Iran appeared to recognise in principle the wisdom of the advice, and indicated that she was taking some steps of the desired nature. Yet the proportion of the Germany colony actually removed was very small, and on August 16 Sir Reader Bullard and the Soviet Ambassador repeated emphatically the view that the German community in Iran should be required to leave the country without further delay. , Iran was told that Britain and the Soviet accepted and endorsed the Iranian policy of neutrality and they had no designs against Iran’s political independence or territorial integrity and that it was their sincere desire to maintain a policy of friendship and co-op-eration with Iran. Iran’s reply shows that Iran was not prepared to give adequate satisfaction to the recommendations of Britain and the Soviet. It is now clear that further friendly representations would serve no useful purpose and Britain and the Soviet must have recourse to other measures to safeguard their essential interests. These measures will in no way be directed against the Iranian people. Britain has no designs against the independence and territorial integrity of Iran and any measures she may take will be directed solely against the attempts of the Axis Powers to establish control of Iran.