788.11/8–2553: Telegram
No. 356
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom
(Aldrich) to the
Department of State1
793. When I called on Salisbury this afternoon he handed me an aide-mémoire the text of which reads as follows:
“Her Majesty’s Government would be most grateful if the United States Ambassador in Tehran could be instructed to pass the following personal and private message to the Shah from Sir Winston Churchill:
‘“I salute and congratulate Your Majesty on your safe return to your country. May I express the sincere hope that success will now attend your efforts to guide Persia towards those better things which you have always so ardently desired for her’”.2
- Sent to Tehran as telegram 13 and repeated to the Department.↩
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On Aug. 23 Ambassador Henderson suggested that it might be useful for Queen Elizabeth II or Prime Minister Churchill to send an oral message of congratulations to the Shah through American channels. (Telegram 462; 788.11/8–2353)
On Aug. 28 Ambassador Henderson reported that he read Churchill’s message to the Shah the previous evening. The Shah was deeply moved and asked Henderson to convey in confidence the following personal and private message in reply:
“I deeply appreciate your friendly message of congratulation and good wishes which fortify me in meeting the difficult tasks ahead. May I take this occasion to congratulate you on your return to active duty and to express my hope that your health will continue to improve.” (Telegram 506; 788.11/8–2853)
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