Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The Near East and Africa, Volume VIII

891.24/10–445: Telegram

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

Washington, October 11, 1945—8 p.m.

577. Dept approves of your action in giving out press release quoted in urtel 789 Oct. 1 [2]. Judging from urtels 801 and 802 Oct. 4⁸¹ release has already had good effect. Dept will be glad if you consider advisable to call in Iranian Chargé to express similar views.

In this connection you may find it desirable when occasion arises to assure Iranian authorities that this Govt has not altered its traditional policy of friendship for Iran or its pledges of assistance as contained in Declaration on Iran.⁸² Dept will always view with sympathy Iranian requests for assistance. The Iranian Govt should, however, understand that such assistance must necessarily be considered separately from technical question of surplus disposal which is being carried out under specific legislation applied on a world-wide basis and cannot therefore be regarded as a method of extending financial or economic assistance.⁸³

Byrnes

[For recommendations by the Ambassador in Iran regarding the disposition of American surplus property in that country, see his letter of October 16 to the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs, page 425.]

81. Neither printed.
82. Declaration agreed to December 1, 1943, at Tehran by President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill, and Soviet Premier Stalin; see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. iv, p. 413. For documentation concerning efforts by the United States in 1944 to implement the Declaration, see ibid., 1944, vol. v, pp. 306 ff.
83. In telegram 872, October 23, 1945, 10 a.m., the Ambassador in Iran stated: “I took occasion to express to Minister of Foreign Affairs before fall of Cabinet views contained in last paragraph Deptel 577, Oct. 11. Sepahbodi was most grateful and I believe he understood our position.” The Ambassador added that the press release had had a beneficial effect on the United States position in Iran with the local press almost unanimous in praising all things American and Iranian officials clearly and strongly laying the American position before the Majlis. (891.00/10–2345)