Heating Up

The power squeeze on Iran grew tighter by the day. Sharp Russian pressure was bearing down from the north, and now a mild U.S. push was coming up from the south. Between them lay the helpless, hapless Government of Premier Ebrahim Ha-kimi.

The stream of Iranian notes pleading permission to suppress the revolt in Russian-occupied Azerbaijan drew a bitter, accusing blast from Moscow. Because Government constabulary had provoked incidents in Azerbaijan, the Red Army would admit no Iranian troops into the Iranian province. While it was on the subject, Moscow also turned down a U.S. proposal that all Allied troops leave Iran by Jan. 1, in place of the treaty deadline, March 2. The U.S. thereupon moved 2,000 of its troops back again. The same day, in Azerbaijan, the Iranian Governor of Maragha fell to a rebel's bullet.

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