891.00/1926: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus)

299. Your 339, October 23. For your confidential information, the Soviets are asking America and Britain to supply a large quantity of wheat to Russia. Consequently, Department considers it unwise to raise any blanket objection to Russian purchases of Iranian wheat. It would seem advisable to allow reasonable quantity of Iranian wheat to go to Russia, making up any Iranian deficit with Anglo-American wheat.

However, we regard it as most important that Russian purchases should be carefully calculated to avoid stripping any part of Iran of the grain needed for local consumption. They should also be regulated in time and amount in such a way as to allow for inevitable time factor in shipment of Anglo-American wheat supplies to Iran. [Page 174] Department feels it would be extremely unfortunate if exports to Russia, or consumption by local Russian forces, should cause a critical shortage in the interim period before replacement supplies could arrive.

Accordingly, we concur in position taken by British Minister, as reported in your telegram under reference. In your discretion, you may join Bullard58 in representations along this line to Russian authorities.

Hull
  1. Sir Reader W. Bullard, British Minister in Iran.