Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Iran, 1951–1954, Volume X

888.2553/8–1452: Telegram

No. 200
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom¹

confidential

Washington, August 14, 1952—5:32 p.m.

1068. Fol aide-mémoire today handed to Burrows Brit Counselor:

“Instrs to Middleton re proposed reply to Mosadeq have been carefully studied in Dept.

It is view of Dept that suggestion of informal conversations between Reps of IranGov and of AIOC has merit and we wld be pleased if Dr. Mosadeq accepted this proposal.

Dept considers that alternate proposal, to be followed shld Dr. Mosadeq refuse suggestion for informal conversations, wld be unacceptable to IranGov and wld leave gen atmosphere worse rather than better. Reasons for this belief were set forth in Secy’s msg to Eden of Aug 12 and need no elaboration here.”

Bruce

1. Also sent to Tehran. Drafted and signed by Richards.