Office of the Historian

891.24/202

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by Mr. George W. Renchard of the Office of the Secretary of State

[Washington,] April 30, 1942.

Lord Halifax just phoned at 9:40 and said that he had received a telegram from the Foreign Office in substance as follows:

“Please beg United States Government most earnestly to hold up announcement of lease-lend aid to Iran until similar announcement can be made concerning lease-lend aid to Iraq.”

Lord Halifax said that he realized that this aid had been promised Iran because of its cooperation with us in “kicking out the Japanese, et cetera”. It was feared that Iraq which has been “terribly helpful” would be considerably disturbed if an announcement of lease-lend aid was not forthcoming at the same time.17

G[eorge] W. R[enchard]
  1. Marginal note by Mr. John D. Jernegan of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs stated: “Mr. Hayter, British Embassy was informed by Mr. Alling that we have sent papers to the White House with request that Iraq be declared eligible and announcement made simultaneously for Iraq and Iran, probably on May 2.”↩