891.24/266: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:50 p.m.]
5908. We discussed the situation in Iran as outlined in Department’s 5155, October 19, 10 p.m., with the Foreign Office and stressed the advisability of giving the Government of Iran an assurance as to future wheat supplies. Foreign Office, however, had just received a message from the British Minister at Tehran transmitting the text of a statement which the Government of Iran desires to publish. In it the public would be told that the British and American Governments have assured the Iranian Government that under certain conditions supplies of wheat, if needed, would be furnished. Foreign Office stated in this connection that it understood that a copy of this proposed statement had been telegraphed to the Department by Minister Dreyfus.
Foreign Office feels that it would be well if the Government of Iran were to issue some form of public statement but the Foreign Office does not approve of the proposed statement of the Government of Iran as presented through the British Minister at Tehran. When a decision has been reached as to the kind of statement the Foreign Office feels might well be issued, Foreign Office will inform us of the proposed text.
In discussing the question further with the Foreign Office of giving the Government of Iran joint assurance as to future wheat supplies, it would be very helpful for us to have the Department’s views on the advisability of the issuance by the Government of Iran of some form of public statement.