Cablegram UND7 CANBERRA, 21 January 1946
MOST IMMEDIATE
Iran. [1]
1. Consistently with our views the claim of Iran to be heard must be supported. Veto does not apply at this stage. See paragraph 3, Annex N of Report on San Francisco. [2] On receipt of communication Chairman of Security Council should place matter on agenda.
2. Having requested to be heard representatives of Iranian Government must now be heard. Any other procedure, for example, forcing a settlement without reference to the Council, would greatly weaken the prestige of the United Nations.
3. It is essential that in adopting this attitude it be made quite clear on all occasions that we are putting forward no opinion on the merits of the case. There can be no expression of merits until there has been a fact-finding enquiry. At this stage we are interested solely in the procedures and insisting that Council procedures be followed through step by step as far as possible. We are upholding merely the right to be heard and must therefore endeavour to obtain a majority decision in the Council for the dispute to be considered and discussed.
4. Please keep us fully informed of developments and discussions in Council when matter is raised.
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1 Iran had requested on 19 January that the matter of the ‘interference of the Soviet Union, through the medium of their officials and armed forces, in the internal affairs of Iran’ be brought before the Security Council on the grounds that ‘a situation had arisen which may lead to international friction’.
2 Annex N (‘Statement by the Delegations of the Four Sponsoring Governments on Voting Procedure in the Security Council, 7 June 1945’), ‘Report by the Australian Delegates to the United Nations Conference of International Organization, San Francisco, 25 April - 26 June, 1945’, Commonwealth Parliamentary Papers, 1945-46, vol.
III. Paragraph 3 noted that ‘no individual member of the Council can alone prevent consideration and discussion by the Council of a dispute or situation’ brought to its attention as likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security.
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[AA:A3196,1946, 0.1387]