The Iranian government’s complaint against the Soviet Union regarding interference in Iran’s internal affairs and the refusal to withdraw military forces from Azerbaijan was the first case placed on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council during 1945–1946. This case served as a critical litmus test for the efficacy of this nascent institution. Adopting a historical-analytical approach, this study explains the political context of the crisis and the role of great powers during the early Cold War, while focusing on the legal dimensions and the precedent-setting implications of this case for the Security Council.
The findings indicate that the handling of the "Iranian Question" went beyond resolving a regional dispute; it became a practical laboratory for the formulation and stabilization of the Security Council’s fundamental procedures. Many of the current practices in the Council’s operations were established for the first time during the deliberations on the Iranian case. By employing a dual strategy of international diplomacy and direct bilateral negotiations—leveraging international pressure within the UNSC while simultaneously engaging with the Soviet Union—the Iranian government succeeded in securing the evacuation of Soviet troops and preserving the country’s territorial integrity. Furthermore, the Security Council, in its inaugural experience, managed to play an effective role in its first-ever agenda item by navigating through procedural deadlocks.