791.003/84: Telegram
The Minister in Persia ( Philip ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1 p.m.]
28. Department’s 24, March 14, 3 p.m. I carried out the Department’s instructions on March 19 in a friendly conference with Teimourtache. The Minister’s reaction to the 6 American points was as follows:
- (1)
- It is impossible to accept this, as the Persian Government must definitely decline to commit itself to appoint foreign judicial advisers, nor is their consideration acceptable as correlative to the laws. All interested Governments have been thus informed, he said, and the actual decision to engage such advisers has not been made.
- (2)
- This will be accepted, except for the concluding allusion to the countersignature of warrants by one of the advisers.
- (3)
- This will be accepted. In fact, Teimourtache said his Government’s intention is to vest these rights also in Moslems of foreign nationality. He then remarked that the right to own and purchase [purchase and sell?] real estate, outside of certain frontier zones, is expected to be granted to foreigners.
- (4)
- The first sentence’s provisions will be accepted. As to sentence two, most-favored-nation rights in respect of import duties cannot possibly be granted, as the Government intends putting into effect May 10, 1928, for a period of five years an autonomous tariff, with maximum and minimum rates. My impression is that Persia intends placing in the minimum category those countries which negotiate new treaties before May 10, while those which do not will face maximum rates. Minimum rates will approximate those of 1927, while maximum rates will be about 50 percent higher.
- (5)
- This will be accepted in principle, since Persia does not intend at all to impose penalties or inferior treatment of any sort upon American citizens owing to the possible lapse of treaty.
- (6)
- This will be accepted, but Teimourtache suggested pointedly that the last two words [“good morals”] be changed to read “with the laws”.
The Minister appeared very desirous of impressing on me his Government’s regard for the United States. He urges me against presenting an official aide-mémoire containing the 6 points and instead to refer to the Department the result of our talk, then, after ascertaining the Department’s further views, to confer with him again.