740.0011 European War 1939/14282
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The Minister of Iran90 called to see me this morning at his request.
The Minister was not acting under instructions and had not as yet heard of the fact that British and Russian forces had actually entered Iran.
The Minister spoke for a very considerable time of the past history of Iran and the difficulties experienced by the country as a result of Russian pressure in the North and British pressure in the South, of its desire to maintain its neutrality, et cetera.
The Minister stated specifically that there were less than 700 Germans in Iran and that in view of the willingness expressed by the Iranian Government to get rid of these Germans over a period of a relatively short time, it was obvious that the presence of these Germans in Iran was merely a pretext for the desire of Great Britain and Russia to occupy the country.
[Page 416]The Minister expressed the particular hope that the President would be kept fully informed of developments. I said that the President was personally following very closely the whole course of events but that, as I knew the Minister realized, this Government was committed within the limits of its announced policy to do what it could to assist in the defeat of the Hitlerite Government of Germany and that, bearing fully in mind the traditional friendship between our two countries, I trusted that, whatever situation might develop in Iran, the outcome would be the eventual maintenance intact of the independence and integrity of Iran and the avoidance of any danger that Germany might, directly or indirectly, extend its influence over Iran. I said I felt sure that the policy of the British Government. would be one of eventual restoration of the liberties of the Iranian people, no matter what temporary measures might be undertaken, whereas if Germany acquired any form of domination over Iran, that domination would never be relinquished were Germany to find herself in a position of world domination.
- Mohammed Schayesteh.↩