740.0011 European War 1939/14280: Telegram
The Minister in Iran ( Dreyfus ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 23—10:30 a.m.]
101. Reference Department’s No. 67, August 20, 8 p.m., Department’s No. 6483 was received after my 9684 was sent and information requested therein as to fifth column was given in No. 99, August 21. Telegrams from Washington are taking from 2 to 3 days to reach Tehran. I have just had another conversation with the Prime Minister during which I again called to his attention the fifth column danger. His reply was almost identical with the Iranian viewpoint outlined in paragraph 3 of my No. 99 and I called his attention particularly to the danger to them of agitation from Germans employed there and [Page 408] informed him of the jamming operations mentioned in my 99. He expressed surprise at this information and promised to take action. I further mentioned the danger to the railways to which he replied that he has an agent watching each bridge and strategic point. My opinion previously expressed in No. 67 is that the Iranians are doing everything they can to control fifth column activity but that their action is too weak and desultory to offer effective check to the efficient Germans.
The official Iranian viewpoint in the present crisis as frankly given to me by the Foreign and Prime Ministers is that while the Iranians will agree to expel Germans gradually from Iran they deeply resent the peremptory nature of the demands and do not at all like “being pushed around by the British”. Further they are resentful of the campaign of false and distorted news being waged against them by the British and Russians. The Prime Minister told me in strictest confidence that he feels the British are not basing their action on the merits of the case but rather are seeking a pretext to occupy the north of Iran because of the military necessity of making contact with the Russians. The Foreign Minister informed me that the British have proceeded in a highhanded rather than a friendly way never having approached Iran to suggest closer cooperation or the forming of an alliance. In short the Iranians are willing to cooperate in what they consider a reasonable program for the expulsion of Germans but refuse to be cowed into accepting the arbitrary British-Russian demands.
The Iranian answer to the British and Russian notes was delivered last night. In almost identical terms to both the answer consisted of nine points couched in general and vague language. It was notable in omitting any reference to the word German using instead the term foreigner. The first four points are of little importance being confined largely to profession of friendship and other formalities. The fifth declares it to be the policy of the Government to discharge all foreigners when their services can be spared while the sixth states this policy is being accelerated due to present conditions so that large numbers of foreigners will soon leave. The seventh is to the effect that Iran alone will determine which foreigners will leave, while the eighth states there will be equal treatment for all foreigners. The ninth declares that the Government, while it is willing to carry out any plan to help a neighbor is unwilling to do anything [omission?]. Both the Russian and British envoys told me they consider the answer as wholly unsatisfactory.
It is considered almost certain in well-informed circles here that the British and Russians will invade Iran. The only speculation is as to whether an ultimatum will first be delivered.