740.0011 European War 1939/14632
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The British Chargé d’affaires called at his request and I brought up the same question I had brought up with the Russian Ambassador this morning11 to the effect that Great Britain and Soviet Russia could well make a joint statement about the temporary occupation of Iran and their purpose to abandon such occupation as soon as war conditions permit and address it to all peaceful nations and other nations opposing or opposed to aggression. He seemed to receive this very favorably and said he would take it up with his Government.
I said to the Chargé that we had been unable to get anything like the full facts relating to the occupation of Iran, that I did hope that we might be able to secure the essential facts and points in the situation, and that we are undertaking to do this and would welcome any cooperation on the part of his Government. He said he knew exceedingly little about the situation, and he seemed to take no special interest in the matter.
- See memorandum by the Secretary of State, supra.↩