891.51A/10–345: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Murray) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 3—12:28 p.m.]
796. In accordance with Department’s instructions and with wishes expressed by senior members American financial group, I intend to deliver following note tomorrow38 to the Minister for Foreign Affairs with copy to Minister of Finance:
“As Your Excellency is aware, the American Government has taken a great interest in the work of the American officials in the Iranian [Page 560] Ministry of Finance and has sincerely hoped that they would be able to render substantial assistance to Iran. Because of this the Department of State has used its good offices in the recruiting of personnel and in other ways and this Embassy has collaborated with the Iranian Government in endeavoring to see that the mission should be of maximum utility to the Iranian nation.
With the departure of Dr. Millspaugh, however, the legal bases upon which the Mission was originally constituted ceased to exist and it has become apparent that the Iranian Government does not feel itself in a position to establish any substitute arrangement which would provide adequate foundations for the mission to continue its work with benefit to Iran. Therefore I am instructed by the Department of State to inform you that the conditions created by the Iranian Government are so different from those existing at the time the mission was established and the possibilities of success of a financial mission under these conditions are so remote that the Government of the United States can no longer continue its interest in the work of the Americans in question. The American Government believes that no useful purpose would be served by the continued presence in Iran of these Americans.
In these circumstances the American Government assumes that the Iranian Government will wish to effect a prompt and mutually satisfactory settlement with the members of the financial group, such settlement to be in accordance with the relative provisions of their contracts calling for equitable treatment in cases of termination [apparent omission] other than those specifically set forth in the engagement laws or agreements.
I am informing the members of the Financial Mission of the contents of this note.”
- The note was dated October 3.↩