891.24/194: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus)
113. British have presented requisition to Lend-Lease for 24,230 tires, which constitutes final lot of total 68,000 tires scheduled by British for shipment to Iran in 1942. This latest requisition is to be [Page 129] consigned to U. K. C. C. which proposes allocate tires 40 percent for transportation supplies to Russia, 40 percent for Iranian governmental and military uses and 20 percent for Iranian civilian use, all under direction of U. K. C. C.
British consider their program of 68,000 sufficient for Iranian needs this year and further believe tires should be distributed and controlled entirely by U. K. C. C. in order to insure most efficient use in furtherance of war operations and maintenance essential Iranian economy. They therefore request approval their requisition and denial any independent Iranian request which may be made.
Please telegraph urgently your views on following, bearing in mind Anglo-American participation in local supplies committee and M. E. S. C. and at the same time Department’s desire to maintain American prestige on its present high level and keep American-Iranian relations on as direct a basis as war controls will allow:
- 1.
- Whether British program of 68,000 tires sufficient for minimum needs Allied military and Iranian civilian transportation this year;
- 2.
- Advisability of leaving distribution of tires and consequent indirect partial or total control highway transportation in hands of U.K.C.C.
If possible please report number of trucks now operating in Iran, differentiating between those under British, Russian and American control and those controlled by Iranian Government and private citizens.