861.248/173a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran ( Dreyfus )
166. Agreement has been reached in principle with the British Government and between General Wheeler and the appropriate British officials in India and the Near East for the establishment at Abadan of a plant to assemble planes brought by sea for delivery by air to the Soviet Government. The project will be exclusively under American military control and command. Construction is being started immediately to provide the necessary facilities and accommodations for 135 officers, 50 enlisted men and 800 civilians. Hangars and housing expected to be completed by January 15. Pending completion of the assembly plant crated planes will be delivered at Basra for assembly by the British.
The Embassy at Kuibyshev is taking up with the Soviet Government the point in Iran at which the planes are to be delivered. Kazvin has been suggested. General Wheeler is also seeking to establish contact with Russian officials in Iran to discuss details. The British Foreign Office states that if the Anglo-Iranian Treaty of Alliance goes into effect the arrangement at Abadan would be covered by the terms of the alliance and that the British Minister at Tehran would be instructed merely to notify the Iranian Government as a matter of courtesy. The position would be that the British Government was in effect subletting to this Government part of a site made available to it by the Iranian Government under the treaty. If the draft treaty with Iran fails to materialize the British state they would probably not consider it necessary even to notify the Iranian Government and that it would merely assist us to establish the base by virtue of being in military occupation.
The foregoing is for your information. You should not make any approach to the Iranian Government until your British colleague has received his instructions and you have received further instructions from us.