811.24591/5
The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the
Secretary of State
No. 518
Tehran, April 14,
1943.
[Received April 24.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of the
translation of a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated April
6, 1943, containing charges of misconduct on the part of American troops
now engaged in operating the Iranian State Railroad between Tehran and
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Khorramshahr, Iran,
together with a copy of my reply, dated April 9, 1943, which indicates
that the charges were entirely without foundation.
This correspondence is brought to the Department’s attention because of
the unusually strong and somewhat threatening language used in the
second paragraph of the Ministry’s note which is shown by my reply to
have been entirely uncalled for in this instance and for which there has
been no justification in the conduct of American troops in Iran up to
this time, as far as this Legation is aware. It is true that a number of
other reports of alleged misconduct have been brought to the Legation’s
notice by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the past two or three
months, but investigation has invariably shown that the charges were
unfounded or that the culprits had been speedily and adequately punished
by the American authorities and that damages to Iranian interests had
been promptly and fully compensated. It is for these reasons that I
included the suggestion in my note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
that it refuse to consider unjustified charges that might be made to it
of misconduct on the part of American troops in Iran.
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure 1—Translation]
The Iranian Ministry for
Foreign Affairs to the American
Legation in Iran
No. 858/246
[Tehran,] April 6, 1943.
Note Verbale
The Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to
the Legation of the United States of America and has the honor to
state that according to a report received from the authorities
concerned on Sunday Farvardin 14, 1322 (April 4, 1943) several
Americans of the Tehran Railway Station went in a truck to the iron
smelting foundry at Karaj, entered the factory and the store and
took on their truck a quantity of refractory material. This action
has been repeated and a number of Americans with trucks have gone to
the Government stores and carried away articles without
authorization, whereas in accordance with regulations it is as a
rule forbidden to enter factories.
The Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests the Legation of the
United States of America to make the necessary investigation and to
issue emphatic instruction to the end that the American authorities
concerned may stop the recurrence of such incidents and to restore
the articles taken, advising the Ministry of the result. However, if
the American Government and officials sent here consider themselves
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within their rights to
be able to seize and take away property belonging to the Iranian
Government, it is requested that the Ministry may inform the
Imperial Government of this undesirable attitude of the American
officials, and the necessary decision may be taken.
The list of articles carried away from the stores will be brought to
the Legation’s knowledge on a later date.
[Enclosure 2]
The American Legation in
Iran to the Iranian Ministry for
Foreign Affairs
No. 399
The Legation of the United States of America presents its compliments
to the Imperial Ministry for Foreign Affairs and has the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of the Imperial Ministry’s Note No. 858/246,
dated April 6, 1943, which refers to a report from certain
authorities that, on April 4, 1943, several Americans from the
Tehran Railway Station took refractory materials from the Imperial
Iron Foundry at Karadj without authorization, and requests that
instructions be issued to stop incidents of this kind and to restore
the materials taken away.
The Legation has now received from the Commanding General of the
American Forces in Iran75 a report, together with copies of supporting
documents, which shows that the materials referred to consisted of
fire brick and fire clay required for the Iranian State Railways;
that they were ordered by the Minister of Roads of the Ministry of
Industries and taken with the consent of the Minister of Commerce
and Industries; that they were taken with the knowledge and consent
of the authorities in charge of the Imperial Iron Foundry at Karadj
to whom receipts were given for these materials; and that the
materials will be paid for by the Imperial State Railways to the
Department of Mines. Documentary evidence to prove all of these
statements can be produced at the Imperial Ministry for Foreign
Affairs, if desired.
It appears that the action of the Americans concerned was taken with
the complete knowledge and approval of the Iranian officials in
charge of the Imperial Ministries concerned and that it was in the
interests of the Iranian State Railways. In view of the unjustified
suggestions contained in the second paragraph of the Imperial
Ministry’s Note under acknowledgement the Legation assumes that the
accuracy of the report of the incident made to the Imperial Ministry
was not investigated before reference to the Legation. It hopes
that,
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in future,
unjustified charges of misconduct on the part of American troops in
Iran will not be given serious consideration by the Ministry.
The Legation avails itself [etc.]
