891.20/247
The Secretary of State to the Iranian Minister (Shayesteh)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Honorable the Minister of Iran and refers to the Legation’s note of September 20, 1943 requesting the assignment of additional personnel to the United States Military Mission at Teheran.
The War Department has informed the Department of State that the United States Army is deployed on a world-wide front against the common enemy and that the need for Army personnel is such that the number so assigned to Iran must be kept to the minimum capable of providing the advice and assistance requested and utilized by the Iranian Government. The War Department has also stated that before a request for an increase in the size of the Mission would be considered it would have to have the approval of Major General C. S. Ridley, Chief of the Mission, and when approved it would still be necessary for the War Department to weigh the request against the many demands for officer personnel.