Editorial Note
No official record of this conversation has been found. According to a letter of May 25, 1954, from Harriman to the Historical Office of the Department of State (023/5–2554), Molotov asked Harriman and Sir Archibald Clark Kerr (British Ambassador to the Soviet Union, who was at Tehran) to call on him. He told Harriman and Clark Kerr, on the basis of information which had reached him, that Roosevelt’s presence at Tehran was known to German agents there, that these agents were planning a “demonstration”, that this might involve an attempt at assassination, and that Stalin therefore urged Roosevelt to move to either the British Legation or the Soviet Embassy. A house in the Soviet Embassy compound was being made ready for Roosevelt’s occupancy. Harriman, on returning to the American Legation, discussed the matter with Connolly and Reilly and the three of them agreed to recommend to Roosevelt that he should move to the proffered residence in the Soviet Embassy compound. Roosevelt agreed, and the move took place on the afternoon of the following day. See the Log, ante, p. 463. For a subsequent reference by Roosevelt to his primary motivation in making the move, see post, p. 867.