§ Colonel Beamishasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Soviet Government are conducting a sustained propaganda campaign against the Iranian Government; and if he will state what action Her Majesty's Government has taken or propose to take in accordance with Article 1 of the Bagdad Pact.
57W
§ Mr. ProfumoYes. Her Majesty's Government have been and are in close consultation with the Iranian Government. Soviet broadcasts, particularly those in Persian which total forty-nine hours weekly, have for some months included violent attacks on the Shah of Iran and the Iranian Government. Her Majesty's Government deplore these attacks on a friendly and allied Government, which can only have the effect of increasing tension, and have made their views clear to the Soviet Government at the highest level. Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Iran is well-known and has been stated on a number of occasions since the statement made by the late Mr. Bevin on 19th May, 1950.