891.00/1837: Telegram

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

66. On March 11 [10] the President found the defense of Iran vital to the defense of the United States, thereby making Iran eligible to receive Lend-Lease assistance. For the present it is considered advisable [Page 290] to keep this development secret, except for the Iranian officials immediately concerned, and you are requested to see that no announcement on the subject is made in Iran. Iranian Minister in Washington98 has been informed.

With reference to your 61, March 11,99 you should take the first opportunity to emphasize to the Prime Minister that this action represents definite evidence of this Government’s intention to help Iran. You may further state that arrangements are going forward with all possible speed to send wheat to Iran1 under Lend-Lease authority on a cash reimbursement basis. Action is being taken on a requisition for 20,000 tons, which it is proposed to ship at the minimum rate of 2,000 tons monthly or in greater quantities if the shipping situation permits. It should be noted that no effective action in this regard could have been taken by this Government prior to the designation of Iran as eligible for Lend-Lease, since no other Governmental machinery exists for such operations.

With respect to advisers,2 you should point out that only requests received by this Government have been for a police adviser, two plant experts and a boy scout leader. These requests are receiving every consideration and Department is actively endeavoring to locate suitable men. You may explain that this Government is anxious to send only men with the highest qualifications, and, under present conditions, such men are not always immediately available.

If question of financial-supply adviser is raised, (Department’s 55, March 43) you may say that this matter has merely been mentioned to the Department by British Embassy, no direct request having been made by Iranian Government, but that if such a request should be received this Government would give it earnest and sympathetic consideration.

Welles
  1. Mohammed Schayesteh.
  2. Post, p. 327.
  3. For correspondence on this subject, see pp. 120 ff.
  4. For correspondence on this subject, see pp. 222 ff.
  5. See footnote 94, p. 224.