Office of the Historian

511.4 A 2/252: Telegram

The Chargé in Persia (Murray) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]
Teheran, January 21, 1925—9 a.m.
[Received January 21—7:11 a.m.]

5. Department’s No. 2, January 19, noon. I have not made any representations on opium question to Persian Government after those which I reported to Department in my despatches Nos. 652, of September 23, and 671, of October 8. Reasons are as follows: (1) Until complete liquidation of Imbrie incident I regarded such discussions as inappropriate. (2) In view of Persia’s contribution to solution of opium problem in form of Colonel MacCormack’s memorandum on Persian opium,14 it was my feeling that representations to Persian Government in my note of September 1615 were sufficient reminder.

[Page 685]

I venture to make following observations with regard to further representations on particular phase of matter mentioned in British note: (1) Between 60 and 70 tons of Indian opium have been sent in bond, in the past 10 months, to Bushire tax-free transshipment. In order to put an end to this traffic, the Council of Ministers issued an order a month ago prohibiting entirely importation of opium into Persia. (2) Colonel MacCormack is of opinion that pending report of opium investigation commission, whose despatch to Persia the League of Nations has suggested (so I am informed) and to which the Persian Government has agreed, further representations are not necessary.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Murray
  1. Memorandum on Persian opium prepared by Col. D. W. MacCormack of the American Financial Mission in Persia and presented by the Persian delegation at the Second Opium Conference. Printed in League of Nations, Records of the Second Opium Conference, Geneva, November 17th, 1924–February 19th, 1925, vol. ii, p. 194.↩
  2. Not printed; see telegram No. 83, Sept. 15, 1924, to the Chargé in Persia and despatch No. 652, Sept. 23, 1924, from the Chargé in Persia, Foreign Relations, 1924, vol. ii, pp. 586 and 588.↩