891.00/1964: Telegram
The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 12—10:28 a.m.]
433. My 427, December 9. As result of urgent representations made by Sheridan and me to British Minister the British military have not only agreed to expedite shipment to Tehran of the 3,500 tons of barley and 1,500 tons of flour but have telegraphed instructions for the immediate advance of 253 tons flour from British Army stocks in Tehran and Kazvin. Sheridan read the British telegram, which stresses that publicity value of this so-called generous action should not be lost and that trucks of flour should be labeled “British aid to Iran”.
British now admit these 5,000 tons cereals were being held not in Basra but in Ahwaz where they could have been brought to Tehran without delay. Sheridan also reports that UKCC has procrastinated for 2 weeks in bringing to Tehran 5,000 tons of rice now in Mazanderan. After his strong representations [to] Brit[ish] Minister the UKCC now promises to bring the rice at once. It would seem to me that British have deliberately delayed bringing cereals to Tehran in order to exert pressure to require the Iranian Government to pursue a more pro-British policy. Sheridan informs me he is gradually and reluctantly becoming convinced that this is the case.