891.001 Pahlavi, Reza Mohammad/10–1244
The Shahanshah of Iran (Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi) to President Roosevelt 94
My Dear President: I have received from the hands of Your Ambassador, Leland B. Morris, who has made a very good impression upon me, the two letters which Your Excellency was good enough to write me on September 2nd.
The friendly interest which You take in the welfare of my country has touched me deeply. Please believe that I fully reciprocate your sentiments and share the view that the United States and Iran have every reason to be close friends and everything to gain by intimate, confident relations.
If we cooperate wholeheartedly and unswervingly abide by the principles for which you entered the War and which you have advocated in the Atlantic Charter, the progress and prosperity of Iran as well as the maintenance of peace and security in this part of the World will no doubt be assured to our mutual advantage.
No misunderstanding or temporary friction must ever be allowed to affect in any way the cordiality and sincerity of our relations.
Your suggestion regarding the reforestation of our arid mountain slopes is very valuable, coming as it does from one who is an expert in the matter and who has done so much on the same lines for his own country. I am drawing the attention of my Ministry of Agriculture to the necessity of testing out in certain areas the possibility of growing trees.
In conjunction with reforestation and afforestation, which will in themselves increase the supply of water, there is the very important, I might say, vital problem of irrigation. The soil of Iran is extremely fertile if we can only get water to it. There are immense desert regions which could be made to blossom into fair fields of corn and wheat etc. We are beginning to tackle this problem, and here again [Page 351] the vast experience and technical and material assistance of America will be most useful and welcome to us.
I can quite realise how busy you must be in these days of preparation for the Presidential Elections.
With warmest wishes [etc.]
- Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 73, October 12, from Tehran; received October 26.↩