Planning and Implementation of Operation TPAJAX, March–August 1953


199. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 888.2553/5–453. Secret; Noforn. Received at 2:23 p.m.


200. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–453. Top Secret; Security Information; Priority. Received at 9:39 p.m. At the top of the page is a handwritten note that reads: “Tehran given instructions Deptel 2823 5/5. Brit Emb informed. Emb London informed by airgram.” Telegram 2823 to Tehran is ibid., 788.00/5–553.


201. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–553. Top Secret; NIACT; Security Information. Received at 8 a.m. Printed from a sanitized version; the original was not found.


202. Monthly Report Prepared in the Directorate of Plans, Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO–IMS Files, Job 81–01061R, Box 1, Folder 4, Monthly Report—April 1953, Country Summaries and Analyses. Top Secret; Security Information.


203. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–853. Secret; Security Information; Priority. Repeated to London. Received at 6:11 p.m. The telegram is printed with redactions in Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. X, Iran, 1951–1954, pp. 726–727 (Document 325).


204. Despatch From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–1553. Top Secret; Security Information. Received May 22. A copy was pouched to London. Drafted by Henderson; the attached memorandum of conversation was drafted by Melbourne.


205. Despatch From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–1953. Top Secret; Security Information. Received May 27. A copy was pouched to London. Both the despatch and the attached memorandum of conversation were drafted by Cunningham.


206. Memorandum From the Counselor of Embassy (Mattison) to the Ambassador to Iran (Henderson)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–2153. Top Secret; Security Information. The memorandum is attached to a May 21 letter from Mattison to Richards which reads: “Before the Ambassador left I tried to jot down a few things with regard to ‘our’ problem of Iran. The Ambassador, before leaving for Karachi, suggested that we send this to you for your information. Needless to say, I don’t claim complete pride of authorship as the Ambassador and Roy both had some suggestions for changes which were incorporated in the memo. You will note that no recommendations are contained in the document, primarily because we are not at all sure of what the best course is. We hope that the Ambassador’s conversations with the Secretary may help to firm up our ideas.”


207. Memorandum From the Director of the U.S. Technical Cooperation Administration Mission in Iran (Warne) to the Ambassador to Iran (Henderson)

Source: National Archives, RG 469, Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies 1948–1961, Mission to Iran, Executive Office Subject Files (Central Files) 1951–1961, Box 7, Folder 6, 350. Secret; Security Information.


208. Despatch From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–2053. Top Secret; Security Information. Received May 27. Drafted by Melbourne.


209. Briefing Notes Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency for Director of Central Intelligence Dulles

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDI Files, Job 80R01443R, Box 1, Folder 19, NSC Briefing 20 May 53. Secret. Prepared for DCI Dulles for his briefing of the NSC on May 20. The official minutes of the NSC meeting of May 20 record that DCI Dulles briefed the National Security Council on Iran, and included a “reference to the legalizing of the Tudeh Party in Iran. This development,” Dulles said, “indicated further deterioration for the interests of the free world in Iran.” (National Archives, RG 273, Records of the National Security Council, Official Minutes 1947–1961, Box 27, 145th Meeting)


210. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Archives, RG 59, GTI Files, Lot 57 D 529, Alleged British Intrigues. Top Secret. Drafted by Richards.


211. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Smith to President Eisenhower

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Box 32, Iran 1953–59(9). Secret; Security Information. There is no drafting information on the memorandum.


212. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/5–3053. Top Secret; Security Information. Drafted by Henderson, who provided a summary of this conversation in telegram 4573 from Tehran, May 30, which is printed with redactions in Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. X, Iran, 1951–1954, pp. 730–732 (Document 329). The memorandum is attached to a covering letter to Byroade, May 30, in which Henderson wrote that “the character of my conversation was so confidential that I do not wish to describe it either in a telegram or a despatch.”


213. Monthly Report Prepared in the Directorate of Plans, Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO–IMS Files, Job 81–01061R, Box 1, Folder 5, Monthly Report—May 1953—Country Summaries and Analyses. Top Secret.


214. Summary of Operational Plan

[Source: Central Intelligence Agency, History Staff Files, CSHP 208. Secret. 8 pages not declassified.]


215. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, RG 84, Tehran Embassy Files, general classified records, Box 14. Secret; Security Information. Drafted by Stutesman.


216. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO Files, Job 80–01701R, Box 3, Folder 7, TPAJAX Vol. I. Top Secret; Security Information. Drafted by Waller on June 8.


217. Memorandum Prepared by the Naval Attaché in Iran (Pollard)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO Files, Job 80–01701R, Box 3, Folder 7, TPAJAX. Top Secret; Security Information. On the covering sheet to this memorandum is a handwritten note, apparently from Waller to [name not declassified], which reads: “A cable went out to Station complaining that Pollard is crossing wires with us.”


218. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Jernegan) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 888.2553/6–1553. Secret; Security Information. Drafted by Stutesman and Richards. Copies of the memorandum were sent to Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Merchant, Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs Waugh, and Robert Bowie, Chairman of the Policy Planning Staff.


219. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 788.00/6–1953. Confidential; Security Information; Priority. Also sent to London. Received at 8:53 a.m.


220. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1950–1954, 888.2553/6–1953. Secret; Security Information. Drafted by Stutesman on June 20 and approved by Jernegan and Richards.


221. Draft Operational Plan

[Source: Central Intelligence Agency, History Staff Files, CSHP 208. Secret. 29 pages not declassified.]


222. Memorandum From the Chief of the Iran Branch, Near East and Africa Division (Waller) to the Chief of the Near East and Africa Division, Directorate of Plans, Central Intelligence Agency (Roosevelt)

[Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO Files, Job 80–01701R, Box 3, Folder 7, TPAJAX Vol. I. Top Secret. 3 pages not declassified.]


223. Memorandum Prepared in the Bureau of Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO Files, Job 80–01701R, Box 3, Folder 7, TPAJAX Vol. I. Top Secret; Security Information. Drafted by Richards on June 25. Printed from an uninitialed copy.


224. Notes on the Remarks of the Ambassador to Iran (Henderson) to the National Security Council Planning Board

Source: Eisenhower Library, Special Staff File, Box 4. Top Secret; Security Information. There is no drafting information on the notes.


227. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO Files, Job 80–01701R, Box 3, Folder 7, TPAJAX Vol. I. Top Secret; Security Information.


228. Letter From the Chief of the Near East and Africa Division, Directorate of Plans, Central Intelligence Agency (Roosevelt) to the Chief of Station in Iran ([name not declassified])

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DDO Files, Job 80–01701R, Box 3, Folder 7, TPAJAX Vol. I. Secret. Sent by air as [text not declassified] on June 29.