701.9491/21: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus)
92. Your 104, April 13. Please express to the Prime Minister our gratification at the action taken and our conviction that it will prove to be in the best interests of Iran.
For your confidential information, the Iranian Minister in Washington on April 11 communicated to Department a message received from the Prime Minister reporting discontent of the Majliss with attitude of Soviet forces of occupation and failure of British to fulfill commitments made regarding supplies et cetera. This was stated to be reason for reluctance of Majliss to authorize expulsion of Japanese. Iranian Minister further said that Prime Minister found himself in very difficult position and might be forced to resign if excessive British and American pressure should be exerted. In such a case, he personally feared conditions in Iran might become gravely disturbed.
Minister was informed this government could see no connection between British and Russian activities in Iran and question of Japanese representation. As a friend of Iran, United States would do everything it possibly could to persuade Russia not to take unwarranted action in Iran and would also do everything possible to facilitate fulfillment of British commitments to Iran, but we could not admit that this affected vital question of subversive Japanese activities.
Minister was further assured that this government was working out details of assistance to Iran.
In this latter connection we are discussing with British questions of over-all supply program for Iran to be tied in with general Middle East program.99 It would be helpful if you could report exact procedure [Page 335] now being followed by British in assessing Iranian economic needs and handling Iranian economic requests. Please report details of British organization and its relation to Middle East supply center Cairo and other British economic agencies. Please keep Department informed regarding arrivals in Iran of wheat and other supplies for civilian use.
Question of Anglo-Iranian exchange difficulties1 reported your 97 April 62 Section 2 is under consideration by Department following presentation formal British request for American intervention. If possible, Department wishes to avoid exerting pressure on Iranian Government in this connection, and hopes to work out some more constructive solution.