SOVIET ACTIVITIES ALONG THE NORTHWEST IRANIAN BORDER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A051300810001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 17, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.O. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
S -E -C -R-E-T
COUNTRY USSR/Iran
SUBJECT Soviet Activities Along the Northwest
Iranian Border
REPORT(
DATE DISTR. l7 !VouenibGti'
NO. PAGES 1
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
sfURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
report concerning activity along the
Iranian/Soviet border area during the period 21 January through 24 March 1959
50X1-HUM
2. Activities described in this report include military training exercises)
routine activities of Soviet troops along the border, and movement of vehicles,
trains and aircraft. The following items are of particular interest:
a. In addition to the usual 13-car train which arrived daily in Soviet Astara
[N 38-20, E 48-5J, other trains arrived on the following days:
(1) 23 January - an unspecified number of trains, each with five freight car
(2) 27 January - one train with five freight cars;
(3) 13 March - one train with five freight cars;
(4) 14 March - one train with seven freight cars.
b. From 2200 hours on 6 February until 0900 hours on 7 February, four pairs of
ships (sic) were at sea at the mouth of the river rstara chay17 opposite
the Iranian post of Heydarmaheleh. About 20 persons were on patrol duty
inside the barbed wire fence Jf the Soviet post. This activity was
unprecedented.
STATE X ARMY X jNAVY IX lAIR X IFBI I jAEC
(Note Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by " #'".)
El
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',AZ I
Ai.
Military Information from Astara Border Guards, in the year 1-59
- 50X1-HUM
from 5:00 hours to 16:30
ka. pchir?qSL4
4bout 30 armed soldiers with one officer were near Soviet Qapel aiia get-
ting operational training. At 18:00 hours three covered trucks arrivec from
Soviet Astara. At 10:05 45 armed soldiers were seen in column of one ( single
K0.pch/Ma rA.
file left Qapchime eh post going to Soviet Astara. At 18:30 thirty of
them returned to the post in single file. Date: Jan. 21, 1959.
2. At 9:30 a communication plane flew at the border. Ship was anchored and
train passed as usual. Date: Jan 22. 1959.
3. At 13:30 a communicaticn plane flew at the border. A ship was anchored and
some boats were fishing. In addition to the regular daily train ( missing
phrase ) each came with five freight cars, from 9:30 to 17:10. Jan. 23, 1959.
flight of one communcation plane, anchorage of a ship
a number of boats fishing, regular normal train. Jan. 24, 1999. 50X1-HUM
5. At 10:15 two trucks with 15 soldiers in them went from Alasha post to
Soviet Qermezi Post. From 8:00 to 17:00 hours there was 'shooting at the north
of Astara and shooting was by machine gun fire. Jan. 26, 1959.
6. From 15:10 to 16:30 twenty armed soldiers and an officer were at a point
keLVchima31a in Of
near Qape1 sheleh; acticemilitary operations. At 17:40 twenty soldiers that
Tr-
were not armec eturned from that post to Soviet Astara by a truck. In addition
to the regular daily train another with five freight cars arrived at Astara
at 17 ;30 hours. Jan. 27, 1959.
7. On Jan. 30, 1959. frlo. 12:00 hours to 16:00 hours there was mortar fire in
E= T
the area north of Soviet Alasha_post.
8. On Feb. 1, 1959. at l3' 3f th , 4ti t 1 .bad(oZ ;; "Aq)ddiersand four offic-
W - P c k o m a t0. ~C' "?"'.~t~v - ~Gti? ~
are, 17 soldiers come to the Qapek h opposite of of Iran
STAT
and returned to their posts after an hours of practice. _ 3.
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ECRtT
50X1-HUM
9. In his personal inspection visit the Border Guards officer of Astara
noted that all traffic paasing in front of Soviet posts even though they
are non military are fully inspected by the Soviet posts. Feb. 2, 1959.
10. At 13:30 a communications plane flew west to east. From 9:00 to 17:00
hours there was shooting by machine gun at the Soviet post of Alasha. At
16:20 hours twent Soviet soldiers came to --makJ SILL
y Qa~wt~#as;teaeh post from Astara
mounted on horse cart. From 22:00 hours to 9:00 hours four pairs of ships
were at the sea opposite the river mouth ?ppo4) e of HeydarVahaleh post of
Iran. About trty-persons were on patrol duty inside the barbed wire stretch.
This is an action unprecedented. At 9:40 of this day four officers of whom
two were combat unit officers and two from border guards came to the border
bridge and having stayed there for a few minutes returned. At 10:30 hours
all of the soldiers and those on patrol returned to the Border Guards. Feb.7.
11. According to the report of Astara Border Guards from 8:00 hours to 15:00
hours machine gun fire was noted and also rocket fire was noted from 19:00
to 21:00 hours in the region between Alasha and Baghelftesarsi post of the
Soviets. Feb. 4, 1959.
12. A Soviet monoplane, single engine d flew at 15:10 and a communications
biplane flew west to east at 16:20 hours. Trains and other observations
were normal. Feb. 5, 1959.
13. A communications plane flew at 19:00 hours east from west. Ship was an-
Feb. 7, 1959.
14. A communication s biplane flew at 7:50 and another flew at 15:05 from
Le)Koy'ar, ~~ KOV4-,
~ towards Soviet Astara. These returk6 . Feb. 14, 1959.
J--l'- )I Kova .1
15. A coimnunicatians biplane f stara and
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returned. Feb. 15, 1959
COLIC.
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E T "
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16. A communications plane ( biplane ) flew at 7:00 hours from Lrarn to
Astara and flew back. Feb. 16, 1959.
L-el~ FZbYav~
17. At 13:40 hours a helicopter flew from lAnkaran to Soviet Astara and re-
turned. A communications biplane flew at 15:00 hours west to east. From 22:00
hours to 9:30 there was machine gun fire and from 9:30 to 10:00 hours there
Astara
was machine gun fire with colored rockets at the Soviet,Fisheries field
Date: Feb. 18, 1959.
18. Two Soviet biplanes flew from west to east one at 14:45 hours and the
other at 15:30 hours. A Ship was anchored at sea and train passed as usual.
From 10:00 to 12:00 hours there was machine gun fire at Astara shooting
range. Feb. 19, 1959.
19. A ship was anchored at sea and train passed as usual. Feb. 21, 1959.
20. A Soviet communications plane flew west to east at 17:00 hours. Ship
was anchored at sea and train passed as usual Feb. 21, 1959.
21. A Soviet communications biplane flew west to east at 6:35. Ship was an-
chored and train passed as usual. Feb. 22, 1959.
22. A Soviet communications biplane flew at 17:20 from west to east. At 22:00
hours thre%Aortar gun shells were heard together with some rocket flares fired
north of Soviet Astara. Trains were normal. Feb. 23, 1959.
23. Soviet ship was anchored at sea. At 17:20 six border guards officers came
to the border bridge for inspection. Trains passad as usual. Feb. 24,1959.
24. A ship was anchored ILt sea and trains were normal. Feb. 25, 1959.
25. A Soviet communications biplane flew at 15:00 hours from west to east.
Ship w4af anchored at sea. S Feb. R26,r1959.
50X1-HUM
26. Soviet comrunicat.l east at 9:30 hours. Ship was
anchored and trains were normal. From 2:00 to 4:00 hours there were six
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4
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soldiers and from 3:00 to 6:00 hours there were 30 fisherman all fishing
C.L?
at Astara Okai river mouth using torchligs. Feb. 27, 1959.
27. At 9:30 sixteen armed soldiers carrying packs accompanied by an officer
K?.PC h;-%-I Imo..
were seen walking from Q, h aleh towards Soviet Astara. At 14:12 a truck
lead of eight armed soldiers were seen moving in the same direction. From 8:40
to 12:00 hours there was shooting with machine gun north of Soviet Astara. A
ship was anchored at sea. Trains. passed as usual. From 1:30 hours to 2:15 Hrs.
thrity armed Soviet soldiers were getting training near the border tlridge
post. They returned to the Border Guards after a white flare rocket was fired.
Feb 28, 1959.
28. At 13:15 of larch 1, 1959 a helicopter which was colored army Khaki, and
had number 4 painted on it with a red star on the fuselage flew to S6vt8t
LQ~.Kovar ,
Astara from Lauren and landed at Astara. It took off at 13:30 hours. It is
Lerkay0.~ &
learned that the road from Leake-rmi to Astara was blocked the helicopter
came to pick up a patient. 13 cars, one locomotive, 5 freight cars arrived
at 11:45 at Soviet Astara. Ship was anchored at sea.
29. A Soviet single engined biplane flew west to east at 7:10. Ship was an-
chored at sea. Locomotive with 13 cars arrived at 10:30 and retunred to Ean-
1#aram at 18:15. March 2, 1959.
30- Two ships were anchored at a point north of Soviet Astara. From 20:30 to
24:00 hours about 41 guns were fired at a point north of Soviet As. Train
came as usual bringing 13 cars. March 3, 1959.
31. A Soviet single-eninged biplane flew at 17:00 hours west to east. At 15:15
a truck with 20 armed soldi qi#i ttrarrived at Soviet Astara coming from the
Soviet post of f train was as usual and in the
number that comes daily, cr, ;loch 4s 1959.
.;~ 50X1-HUM
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32. On Larch 5, 1959. there was a ship anchored at sea. 15 Soviet fishermen
were at work at Astara river mouth from 19:30 till morning. Trains were 13
cars.
33. From 3:30 to 19:00 hours report of burst which sounded like gun shell
~ ty, KovKV\
were heard from a far distant point apparently close to banks ra . Ship was
anchored and trains arrived as usual.March 6, 1959.
8:50 a
34. March 7. 1959. Ship was anchored at sea.lt#lecomotive and five cars 1ett
Lnnteran Le- K . Ya
:for' in addition to the regular daily train of 13 cars. It returned at 17:50,1
35. `arch 8, 1959. Ship was anchored at sea. Trains arrival as usual. From
20:45 to 7:00 hours of this day there were 20 Soviet fishermen at Astara Chay
fishing.
36.March 9, 1959. Ship was anchored at sea. The daily 13 car train arrived and
left. From 20:00 hours to 7:00 hours 20 Soviet fishermen were fishing at Asta-
ra Chay river mouth.
37. March 10, 1959. Ship was anchored at sea. At 16:30 five border guard Soviet
officers came to the opposite bridge and watched the river and Iranian side for
a few minutes and went back to the Border Guards office. Two unarmed soldiers'
who had black uniforms came to the bridge and then went back after half an
hour to the post.
38. March 11, 1959. A biplane single engined Soviet plane flew from west to
east at 12:35. Ship was anchored and train arrived and departed as usual.
39. March 12, 1959-Ship was anchored and train arrived and departed as usual.
40. March 13, 1959. A Soviet single engined biplane flew west to east at 7:10.
ECr -
A ship was anchored. In addition to the regular train another train with 5
freight cars arrive-
50X1-HUM
41. March 14, 1959. Soviet single engined biplane flew west to east at 1:00
hour. th was anchored at sea. The. 3 car train and-a train with 7 freight
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cars arrived at Astara at 11:00 hours.
42. March 15, 1959. Soviet ship was anchored at sea. Train arrived as usual.
43. March 16, 1959. Ship was
44. March 17, 1959. Ship was
45. March 20, 1959. Ship was
a helicopter flew to Astara
'46. ;larch 23, 1959. A plane
anchored at sea and train was as usual.
anchored at sea and train was as usual.
anchored at sea and train was as usual. At 7:10
1,,e -,,1(OYA"
from wren and returned.
flew at 14:00 hours from west to east. Ship was
anchored at sea. Train arrived and departed as usual.
47. March 246-149. Ship was anchored at sea. Train arrived and departed as
usual.
SECRET
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