891.00/4–2649: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
558. Some weeks ago Prime Minister Saed informed me that he proposed to send me an important letter on economic, military and political matters. Several days ago he stated that he would promptly send me the letter he had previously spoken of but would address it tome in Persian since he did not desire to have it translated by his own people. This may suggest some lack of confidence in the Foreign Office which handles translations. Letter in question was received yesterday. Embassy’s Iran advisor, Saleh, made translation. He believes letter was drafted in Saed’s own handwriting and from style of drafting that it was not processed through Council of Ministers. I had long interview with Foreign Minister Hekmat this morning. He made no allusion to letter and probably knows nothing of it. The text in translation follows:
“My Dear Friend: Your Excellency has been in Iran for nearly one year and I am certain that the adequate studies and observations that you have had during this period have clarified the conditions of Iran for Your Excellency.
Of course you have learned that as long as the flames of war had not spread over Persia, in other words before the Allies arrived in our country, Iran was one of the countries that not only had budgetary [Page 511] equilibrium and was not in need of internal or external loans, but her revenues exceeded her expenditures. Iranian money had not suffered from inflation and depreciation and as a result of the absence of any obstacle in internal and external trade there was plenty of work for the people and the cost of living was low. The people of this country enjoyed peace and comfort under the banner of security throughout the country with which the whole world agreed, and long strides were being taken on the road to progress and prosperity in all social, economic, financial and administrative realms, both civil and military.
The occupation of Iran dealt a severe blow to Iran. Because of the blockade of trade routes and the restriction of the power of the government in occupied zones and the creation of insecurity, production of crops and manufactures diminished and from whatever that was produced (such products) were consumed for Allied needs and con sequently the cost of living went up higher and higher every day in the country and disturbed economic and social affairs, increased the poverty and distress of the people.
National resources suffered from the political and military conditions of the country and especially in northern Iran the property of the Government and people was not immune from encroachments by foreign troops and numerous plunderings were the deplorable con sequences in those regions.
After the evacuation of Iran which was made possible as the result of great political efforts, the Government wanted out of the rack and ruin caused in the past to make fundamental reforms but the disturbed state of social and economic and financial and even political affairs of Iran which resulted from the war was such that our weak budget did not have and still does not have the power to reform and redress the damages or to remedy our needs during the short period of time which the Government and the people expected, and the efforts of the Government to regulate financial and economic affairs and prepare the means of maintaining internal and external security are still meeting with numerous crises, one of which is perhaps the menace of another aggression and encroachment upon Persia. The Iranian Government and people are concerned that Your Excellency’s Government by strengthening some of the neighbors of Iran in a military and political way may be directing the danger of aggression in the future against Iran and Iran may become a victim to the policy of the US Government strengthening them unless with the true aid of Your Excellency’s Government to strengthen Iran in a military way the defensive capacity of Iran with her internal possibilities should be as much as her neighbors.
Iran at the present time has imperative need of importing agricultural, irrigation and well-drilling machines and artificial fertilizer in order that her wheat crops may reach the extent of five million tons per year and in order that she may have a permanent reserve in her stores of at least 200,000 tons of grain and in order that she may have sway on her economic conditions and control prices of articles needed by the public she must import at least one year’s domestic consumption of sugar and piece goods (cotton textiles) from abroad.
In order to repair and improve her railways which have rendered noteworthy services to the Allies during the war and which were called the bridge to victory and in order to complete the branch lines [Page 512] the Iranian Government needs at least 100 locomotives and 3,000 rail way cars and 3,000 kilometers of rail and, furthermore, with a view to creating work for the unemployed and promoting commerce and establishing security it intends to link its railway with Iraq and Pakistan. For the same purpose as mentioned the Iranian Government must asphalt all its existing highways and other roads that should be built and it should procure new road building and snow-clearing machinery. In order to transform at least the three seaports in south Persia into ports in the full modern sense of the word, possessing all the means for embarkation and debarkation and warehousing and, moreover, in order to create two big landing fields equipped with all modern means of air navigation of the nature of an international landing field and in order to build airports which should be of service in all seasons of the year in the important centers of the country and also in order to prevent diseases and improve the sanitary conditions and universalize public health with all modern medical means and also in order to lay pipes in the main towns of the country, the Government must make great sacrifices in order that as a result of the implementation of these operations the continuance of an independent and free life may be ensured for the people of Iran with as much comfort as possible and in order that the people may be relieved of poverty and distress and the country may be restored to its normal state. And, to the end that the Iranian people may be immune from any domestic and foreign crisis it is necessary that Iran should be recognized as being on the first line of countries seeking peace and security and fighting (for it) and she should be equipped in every respect in order to be able to hold forever the banner of peace and freedom and security through moral, intellectual and material resistance.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing considerations, I request Your Excellency to be so kind as to take measures that Your Excellency’s Government which is rendering every assistance to all countries defending their own independence and liberty may consider the sensitive position and circumstances of Iran, to adopt plans to meet the true needs of Iran and to lend effective assistance which would cause further to strengthen friendly and amicable relations and oneness between the two (countries). Most respectfully, Mohammad Saed.”1
Comments follow.
- The Shah advised Ambassador Wiley on May 8 that Prime Minister Saed’s letter had been prepared with his knowledge (telegram 626, May 9, 10. a. m., from Tehran, 891.00/5–949).↩