Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, General, Volume I

711.00 Statement July 16, 1937/296

The Chargé in Iran (Engert) to the Secretary of State

No. 1116

Teheran, August 25, 1937.
[Received October 15.]

Sir: In confirmation of the Legation’s telegram No. 71 of even date,⁴⁴ I have the honor to transmit herewith the original French text, together with an English translation, of the statement which the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mostafa Adl, handed to me this morning by way of a reply to the declarations of policy made by Secretary Hull on July 16, 1937.

This statement was undoubtedly drafted by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Enayatollah Samiy, himself but his departure for Geneva on August 21st prevented his giving it to me in person. (See also Legation’s telegram No. 68, August 23, 9 a.m.)

In this statement the Iranian Government reiterates its agreement “in principle” with the declaration of the Secretary of State—(See Legation’s telegram No. 57, July 27, 11 a.m.)—and goes on to say that as it is convinced that no war could today be localized it has always been on the side of the most ardent partisans of peace, as will be seen from the amicable way the frontier disputes with its neighbors have been settled. Moreover, the signing of the Saadabad Pact “is one of the most striking proofs” of Iran’s desire not only to keep the peace in Western Asia but throughout the world.

The Department will observe that the statement does not refer to the desire of the American Government to liberalize the commerce of the world by the removal of all unreasonable trade barriers. It may therefore be assumed that the Iranian Government is as yet not prepared to subscribe to such a policy unless—as the Foreign Minister told me orally—all other powers do likewise.

It is also perhaps significant that the Iranian Government has not permitted the text of Mr. Hull’s statement, or any reference to it, to be published in the local newspapers, despite the fact that I pointed out to the Chief of the Press Bureau that it had received publicity everywhere else in the world and that it would be a logical thing if the press of Teheran were to follow suit.

Respectfully yours,

Van H. Engert

[Enclosure—Translation]

The Iranian Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the American Legation

[Teheran,] August 23, 1937.

The Imperial Government of Iran is in principle in agreement with the declaration of the Secretary of State of the United States.

Being convinced that in view of the present political situation of the world it would appear to localize a war if it should break out in any part of the globe, the Government of His Imperial Majesty has alined itself with the most ardent partisans of universal peace. It has always maintained absolute identity between this principle and its policy in general. Moreover, it has never failed to have recourse to pacific means to settle its differences with other states, and by following this line of conduct it has in a friendly way resolved its frontier disputes with Afghanistan, Turkey and Iraq.

The signing of the Saadabad Pact, for which the initiative came from the Imperial Government, is one of the most striking proofs of its unshakable desire to keep the peace, and it has the firm hope not only of safeguarding peace in Western Asia but also of becoming a more or less important factor in the maintenance of peace in general.

44. Not printed.