811.24591/12–2144: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Iran ( Morris )

732. Dept’s discussions with War on subject of disposal of PGC trucks has resulted in a determination by War that the following vehicles are considered to be in the category of surplus and are to be held intact for negotiation purposes by State with a view to their ultimate disposal by outright sale to Iran, for cash at a fair estimate of present evaluation:

1.
300 Studebaker 2½-ton trucks, total of 750 truck tons.
2.
300 Studebaker trucks with 7-ton semi-trailers, total of 2100 truck tons.
3.
215 Mack 10–ton trucks, total 2150 truck tons.
Summary—815 trucks with total of 5000 truck tons.

After consultation with Connolly and Hoskins,37 please inform the Iranian Government that these trucks are being held as available for sale to Iran. You should state that in spite of other demands for these trucks Dept has insisted upon their being offered for sale first to Iran in view of our desires to assist the Iranian transport situation and in implementation of the economic assurances of the Declaration Regarding Iran of December 1, 1943.38 Prompt action should be taken to dispose of this matter since the trucks are needed elsewhere.

FEA will instruct Hoskins regarding valuation of trucks, form of payment and disposal of proceeds.

Sent to Tehran, repeated to Cairo for Aemme.39

Stettinius
  1. Lt. Col. Harold B. Hoskins, representative of the Foreign Economic Administration in Iran.
  2. For text of Declaration, see Foreign Relations, The Conferences at Cairo and Tehran, 1943, p. 646; for correspondence regarding United States efforts in 1944 to implement the Declaration, see ante, pp. 306 ff.
  3. Reference is to the Office of the American Economic Mission, Middle East.