891.24/211
The Iranian Legation to the Department of State
Verbal Note
The matter of food and distribution of supplies in different parts of Iran has become more and more difficult, the main reason being the lack of transportation facilities. Iran is a very vast country; there is no transportation by water (sea or river) and there is only one railway line, which links the northeast to the southwest, and this is used now principally for Allied military supplies. Therefore all the country depends entirely upon transportation by motor truck. Iran has obtained practically all supplies of trucks and tires for many years from the United States. From the beginning of the war the export of cars, trucks and tires has been reduced to a very small quantity. During the last year exportation has been practically zero. Moreover, the need for transportation of war materials and other Allied activities have brought about the appropriation of a considerable part of existing trucks. The question of transportation in Iran [Page 136] has, therefore, reached an acute stage, as a result of which the economic condition of the country is daily becoming critical, so that in case urgent action is not taken to furnish Iran with trucks and tires, it is feared that famine will break out all over the country, and a situation will be created which will be impossible to remedy.
One other aspect which is not less important is that for maintaining order in the country it is necessary to have sufficient trucks for the expeditious movement of the gendarmerie, police and military forces to cope with uprisings. If the Government is unable to send quickly the necessary force to places of unrest, unruly activities will increase. Such a situation would certainly not benefit the program instituted by the United States Government at this time for that part of the world.
The Iranian Government and its people have shown by their cooperation their friendship toward the United States in these difficult times. Upon the official announcement of the President of the United States that Iran is a beneficiary of the Lease-Lend Act,24a the hopes of the Iranian people have risen in regard to receiving the necessary supplies from the United States.
We are sure that the United States Government desires to give Iran every possible aid and we understand the difficulties facing this country in regard to tires, but it is my duty to draw the attention of the United States Government to the fact that if quick action is not taken in this matter, a situation will be created in Iran which cannot be easily remedied.
The need of Iran, which has been estimated very carefully, is for one thousand trucks and eighty thousand tires and tubes. The question was presented to the proper authorities in Washington months ago but nothing definite has resulted. The United States has been for long years, and is especially now, the only source of supply for trucks and tires for Iran, and there is no doubt of the immediate need of the country for these commodities. Therefore it will not be necessary to refer that question to the Supply Committee in Teheran or to the Central Supply Committee in Cairo. A decision should be taken here in Washington to authorize the exportation of that quantity of tires and tubes directly to Iran, but if it is really impossible to do so, the Iranian Government should be notified of the fact so it can explain the situation to the people of Iran.
- Approved March 11, 1941; 55 Stat. 31.↩