701.9111/641: Telegram
The Chargé in Iran (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21—2 p.m.]
128. Since my 109, November 17, noon, the Foreign Minister has twice referred to his efforts but I gather he has encountered difficulties. Apparently the Shah is still hoping that a special mission might first be sent here. In the case of France he had evidently insisted on it but when he got it (see Legation’s despatch 1114, August 20th13) and still no Iranian Minister was appointed to Paris the French Minister who came in April left on leave of absence November 29th utterly disgusted with what he called the duplicity of the Iranian Government. Immediately after his departure several articles violently attacking the French were permitted to appear in the local papers (see Legation’s despatch 1183, December 10,13 which left here December 18).
With all this in mind but without of course referring to it I did not encourage the Minister for Foreign Affairs in any expectations of a similar mission from the United States in the immediate future.
This morning the Director General of the Foreign Office sent for me and asked me on behalf of the Minister whether the Government of the United States would be prepared to appoint a minister to Iran soon after the Iranian Legation in Washington had been reopened by a Chargé d’Affaires. I replied that it was of course impossible for me to commit my Government in a matter of this kind without first inquiring. Speaking purely personally I said it was extremely likely that sooner or later a minister would be sent here and the reopening of the Iranian Legation in Washington might possibly help to expedite such a decision.
If the Department is in agreement with the last sentence or were willing to make it more definite I believe the question of a special mission would be dropped.