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Author : S. Monin
Dean, School of Preparatory Education, Moscow State Institute (University) of International Affairs
Throughout the 19th and the early 20th century, Iran (known as Per-
sia until 1935) remained an apple of discord between the British and
Russian empires which in 1907 agreed to divide the country into two
zones of influence: the Russian in the north and the British in the
south. World War I, the Russian revolution, British intervention in
the Transcaucasus and Transcaspian from the Persian territory up-
turned the agreement of 1907. In the 1920s-1930s, the old rivalry
flared up; at the early stages of World War II, Brits and French con-
templated, for a while and because of the Soviet-Finnish Winter War
of 1939, an air strike at the Baku oil fields from Iran. The German
offensive at the Western Front in May-June 1940, however, created
problems much closer to their borders.
The occupation of Iran was probably the first experience for the members of the budding anti-
Hitler coalition with agreement on an important international issue and joint military-political
action.
According to the latest writings of Russian historians Tehran did not pattern its foreign policy
on Berlin. Ruler of Iran Reza Shah Pahlavi relied on Germany for his country's industrial advance
and used Germans to improve the transportation network, strengthen the armed forces and ad-
dress other problems. Not a fascist puppet blinded by the brilliancy of the Third Reich's might,
he remained on the alert and as pragmatic as ever while meandering between Moscow, London
and Berlin and cooperating with the latter as the most active and successful player of the three.
Today, historians doubt the Soviet official version of Iran or its territory being a real military
threat to the Soviet Union; they say that the Soviet leadership was merely "going on with Stalin's
prewar policy of expanding the Soviet borders and 'restoring' the lost imperial frontiers."
The Persian Corridor was one of the main routes used for lend-lease deliveries from the United
States and Great Britain to the Soviet Union: 23.8% of supplies were moved via Iran (compare
with 22.6% moved by the famous Arctic convoys to the Soviet northern ports). Nearly half of
the wartime supplies (47.1%) were delivered across the Pacific.
Finally, in the summer and fall of 1941 when the Red Army was retreating and the number of
casualties was mounting prompt, practically bloodless and successful Iranian march encouraged,
to a certain extent, the Soviet people.
Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
"The Matter of Iran Came Off Well Indeed"