391.1163/125b: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus)
161. The Department has transmitted to the Embassy at London a telegram60 setting forth background information concerning steps taken by the American Presbyterian Mission to resume its educational work in Iran and concerning the invitation extended by the Iranian Government to Dr. Monroe to conduct an educational survey. This telegram contained the following paragraph:
“Please seek an early opportunity to express to the Foreign Office the sympathetic interest of this Government in the two proposed educational undertakings in Iran and state that it would be greatly appreciated if appropriate British officials in Iran might be specifically instructed to lend their support thereto.”
You should inform your British colleague of the nature of the request being made to the British Government and discuss with him preliminary steps which might be taken in regard to the matter.
[The British Minister in Iran was instructed on January 9 by the British Foreign Office to support the United States position in Iran with respect to both of these projects. Although the Iranian Cabinet on January 10 “approved in principle” the return of the mission properties, the Mission Board at Tehran, after one formal approach to the Iranian Government, decided not to proceed further with the matter. The Monroe mission failed to get to Iran because of the problem of wartime air transport priorities. (391.1163/126; 891.42/99, 105, 111)]
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