891.20/254
The Chargé in Iran (Ford) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 16.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s telegraphic instruction No. 364 [384] dated August 2, 194366 1 have the honor to enclose the English and Persian texts of the agreement signed at Tehran on November 3, 1943 by the Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohammed Saed, and Minister Dreyfus for the engagement of the Ridley Military Mission.67
The seemingly interminable delays in concluding the contracts of the various American missions in Iran now appear to be drawing to an end. With the signing of the Timmerman and Ridley contracts and the passage of the 60-man project for the Millspaugh Mission, there remains only the Schwarzkopf agreement yet to be signed. The Iranian Government has assured the Legation that it will sign the latter agreement immediately upon the Department’s approval of the changes suggested in my telegram No. 1034 dated October 30 [31], 1943. The Millspaugh showdown has, of course, helped to accelerate this trend to a marked degree.
The Iranian Government was genuinely anxious to have the enclosed agreement signed, and lost no time once the enabling law was [Page 554] passed by the Majlis. There is a sincere desire on the part of all Iranians except for a small clique in the Ministry of War to see the Ridley Mission successful. The officials and common people of Iran both realize the woeful inadequacies of the Iranian army as it exists today and the absolute necessity of a foreign military mission. As the Legation has reported previously, General Ridley’s knowledge of his field and his manner of dealing with the Iranians have made an extremely favorable impression and there is every reason to expect definite results from his mission.
Respectfully yours,