811.24591/12–645: Telegram

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

1075. Deptel 660, November 29.96 For my own guidance I should very much like to know reasons for Department’s decision to issue irrevocable orders for withdrawal American troops from Iran by January 1 instead of making such evacuation conditional upon similar action by Russians and British.97 This acceleration will cost us very heavy losses in disposal of surplus property and has alarmed Iranians who have never wanted to see American troops depart until those of other Allies did likewise. (Shah told me at time of delivery of our note to Moscow98 that, if it appeared our forces were to leave by January 1 and others were to remain Iran Govt might decide to ask us to remain also.)

It appears even British are not going to follow our lead with result that instead of isolating Russians and holding them up as sole interventionists we seem to have isolated ourselves.

British attitude this matter together with certain utterances of British press and officials has led many Iranians (and myself as well) [Page 480] to fear new division of Iran into zones of influence is in progress. I note questions in Parliament seem to pertain primarily to “protection of British interests in Persia” rather than redemption of British pledges to Iran. 1945 version of 1907 agreement99 might easily be taking place, not by sitting down around a table but simply by a British decision to consolidate in southern Iran. British may be preparing to offer plea that they did their best to protect Iran but found it impossible and that they must therefore do whatever is necessary to salvage own interests from wreckage.

To Department as 1075, repeated London as 117.

Murray
  1. Not printed; it set forth the anticipated difficulties of evacuating American troops from Iran by January 1, 1946 (811.24591/11–2945).
  2. No record of a reply to this request found in Department files.
  3. For note, see telegram 2386, November 23, to Moscow, p. 448. The conversation with the Shah took place presumably on November 26; see telegram 1008, November 27, from Tehran, p. 458.
  4. Convention between Great Britain and Russia relating to Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet, signed at St. Petersburg on August 31, 1907, Foreign Relations, 1907, pt. I, p. 550, or British and Foreign State Papers, 1900–1907, vol. C, p. 555; for a detailed analysis of the Convention, see Rogers Piatt Churchill, The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1901 (Cedar Rapids, The Torch Press, 1939).