Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East, and Africa, Volume II

701.9111/689

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

No. 1494

Teheran, December 31, 1938.
[Received February 17, 1939.]

Sir: In continuation of the Legation’s despatch No. 1485, December 21, 1938,³⁰ I have the honor to report that not until December 28th did the Iranian Government announce that a Chargé d’Affaires had been sent to Washington.

On that date all local newspapers carried the following item:

“Mr. Ali Akbar Daftary, formerly Secretary of the Iranian Legation in Berlin, has been appointed Chargé d’Affaires of the Imperial Government in Washington.”

Daftary’s arrival in America was not announced, nor has any comment appeared regarding the reopening of the Iranian Legation in Washington.

By an odd coincidence the item about Daftary’s appointment was published on the eve of the sudden rupture of diplomatic relations with France, which will be dealt with in a subsequent despatch.³¹

Respectfully yours,

C. Van H. Engert

30. Not printed.
31. Despatch No. 1500, dated January 9, 1939, not printed. Iran severed diplomatic relations with France, December 30, 1938, because of Iranian objections to articles appearing in the French press. Diplomatic relations were reestablished February 20, 1939. (751.91/26, 27)