701.0061/56: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:20 p.m.]
1312. The Iranian Ambassador, as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, called on me last night accompanied by the Turkish Ambassador26 [Page 897] to discuss his talk earlier in the day with Lozovski concerning the possible departure of the Diplomatic Corps from Moscow. He said that Lozovski had shown unwillingness to discuss the matter although taking full note of the Ambassador’s views and promising to take the subject up with Molotov and give the Ambassador an early reply. The Ambassador said that unless he obtained a favorable reply from Lozovski today he contemplated calling on him again and suggesting that the Diplomatic Corps of its own initiative leave Moscow as a unit, but that, of course, he recognized that the active cooperation of the Soviet authorities would be essential to the accomplishment of this project.
He asked me whether, if he succeeded in arranging with Lozovski for the departure of the Diplomatic Corps as a unit, I would be prepared to associate myself with such a move and said that he had an appointment at 11 o’clock this morning with the British Ambassador27 at which time he proposed to ask him the same question. I said that my answer would depend entirely upon the nature of Lozovski’s reply and to some extent on the position taken by all the other Chiefs of Missions and that if he would communicate to me as soon as possible the nature of Lozovski’s reply and the position being taken by all of Chiefs of Missions, I would give him an answer as soon as possible.
I gained the impression that both the Iranian and Turkish Ambassadors were considerably disturbed by the complacency of the Soviet authorities and their unwillingness to discuss with the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps the possibility of having to leave Moscow. The Iranian Ambassador made it clear to me that his concern did not arise as a result of any element of fear for his personal security, but rather his apprehension lest the negligence of the Soviet authorities result in the unnecessary sacrifice of the property and personal effects of the members of the Diplomatic Corps. He said that he had pointed out to Lozovski that the mere transportation to the railway station of the personal effects and baggage of over 200 members of the Diplomatic Corps, including articles such as automobiles which would have to be placed on fiat cars, and a large amount of valuable effects, was an undertaking which could not be carried out while the city was under an aerial bombardment, and that although he had no doubt that the Soviet Government would make an effort to evacuate the members of the Diplomatic Corps even at the last moment, he saw no reason why they should not be allowed to send out the junior members of their staffs and other junior members of the personnel and their personal effects, including automobiles, while conditions remain comparatively normal.