740.0011 European War 1939/14807: Telegram
The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 14—12:26 p.m.]
139. I was summoned to the palace last evening by the Shah and received in special audience. While ostensible purpose in calling me was to request me to convey his thanks to the President for his friendly [Page 455] telegram of September 2, I feel that his more important reason was to make known to the American Government through me, his present viewpoint. He began by requesting me to transmit to the President first, his thanks for the declaration of good will and friendship; second, his appreciation of the President’s statement that he is following the course of events in Iran and, third, his satisfaction at the knowledge that American Government has noted the British and Russian statements that they have no designs on the territorial integrity or independence of Iran.
He then stated most clearly that he has no sympathy for the Germans with whom he has had serious difficulties on several occasions and that he is prepared to engage in a common effort to resist them. He added that the Russians and British could have obtained all they wanted in Iran by friendly negotiations. In reply to my suggestion that his statements would be of great interest to the British Government, he declared that he wanted the British to know his views and had no objection to my bringing the above to the British Minister’s attention.
I told the Shah frankly that I thought harm had been caused by the inability of foreign diplomats to obtain audience with him to which he replied that he has always been willing to receive them, a statement which is not in accordance with the facts and perhaps represents a change of attitude.
I conveyed it to the British Minister, who seemed pleased and said he will telegraph Dondoq [London?] for permission to seek audience to bring certain facts including the poverty and exploitation of the people to the Shah’s attention. If the Shah is willing to cooperate fully with the British and correct some of his more serious shortcomings which have lost him the support of both the Iranians and the British, I believe he may still be able to save his throne.