Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/13916: Telegram

The Minister Resident in Iraq (Knabenshue) to the Secretary of State

Baghdad, August 13, 1941—1 p.m.
[Received 6:50 p.m.]

232. British Ambassador informs me that acting under instructions, he has urged Iraq Government to make representation to Iranian Government, invoking Saadabad Pact,⁷⁵ to take action against German tourists and Iraqi political refugees who are using Iran as a base of political intrigues against Iraq. He has warned Iraq Government that those German tourists and Iraqi refugees are undoubtedly trying to do in Iran what they endeavored to do in Iraq, namely, to bring about a coup d’état which would put a pro-Axis group in power and thus become a menace to Iraq. Rumors of such coup d’état actually having taken place are circulating in Baghdad but are unconfirmed.

I gather that British will continue to use pressure to gain their point with the Iranians and that they are prepared to use force if necessary—British military dispositions are actually in progress in Iraq with that object in view. Baker⁷⁶ requests inform War Department.

Knabenshue

75. Treaty of Non-Aggression signed at Saadabad Palace, Tehran, July 8, 1937, by Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. cxc, p. 21.
76. Maj. Joseph K. Baker, American Military Observer with the British forces in Iraq.