891.711/35
The Chargé in Iran (Merriam) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s telegram No. 44 of November 4, 6 P.M., to my telegram No. 59 of November 12, 9 A.M., and to the Department’s telegram in reply, No. 46 of November 14, 3 P.M., with regard to the prohibition in Iran against the delivery of American second-class mail matter.
In accordance with the instructions contained in the Department’s telegram last-mentioned, I sought and obtained an interview with Mr. A. H. Massoud-Ansari, Chief of the Third Political Division in charge of American affairs, on November 17.
After informing this official of the Department’s action in facilitating the entry into the United States of Mr. Hadjeb-Davallou, and receiving his thanks, I observed that the best way to avoid trouble was to anticipate it, and continued that with this thought in mind I wished to ask him, on an entirely personal basis, whether he could inform me when subscribers in Iran to American newspapers and magazines could expect to receive their publications.
Mr. Massoud-Ansari replied that this was a question about which he would have to make inquiries of the competent authorities, and that he would do so and let me know what the status of the question was.
I then explained that subscribers in Iran to American periodicals, among whom were many Iranians and other non-Americans, had not received them for about eight months, with a few unimportant exceptions. The reason I asked the question, I continued, was that increasing pressure was being brought upon me by subscribers in Iran to make official representations respecting this matter. Those [Page 385] who had spoken to me on the subject included, in addition to nonofficial subscribers, the Italian Minister, the Counsellor of the British Legation, the French Chargé d’Affaires, and the newly arrived Swedish Minister, all of whom took American newspapers. The latter in particular, who subscribed to several American publications, had been considerably nonplussed to discover that he could not expect to receive them in view of the present restrictions. Similarly, I said, increasing pressure was being brought upon the Department of State by the publishers. It was with these considerations in mind that I had thought it wise, at this time, to inquire in regard to the matter in a purely informal and personal manner.
The Chief of the Third Political Division listened attentively to the foregoing and again promised to make informal inquiries and to let me know the result.
It may be observed from the foregoing that I carefully avoided giving any impression that concessions might be made respecting individual publications, the delivery of which the Iranian Government might consider undesirable.
Respectfully yours,