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  4. Document 81

No. 81
Editorial Note

Discussion of a reply to Prime Minister Attlee’s message began on August 24 and included the Embassies in Tehran and London, the Bureau of European Affairs (EUR), the Offices of Greek, Turkish, and Iranian Affairs (GTI) and British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs (BNA), the Executive Secretariat (S/S), the White House, and Special Assistant Harriman. By September 1, a draft approved by Secretary Acheson before he left for San Francisco to attend the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference had been forwarded to President Truman. This draft was revised and the revision approved by Harriman. The Department of State felt that the revision would only add to the difficulties in discussing Iran with the British and transmitted the texts of both drafts to Secretary Acheson at the conference for his consideration. Following an exchange of communications between President Truman and Secretary Acheson on September 2 and 3, it was agreed to withhold any reply to Attlee pending further discussion when Secretary Acheson returned to Washington. There is no indication in Department of State files that there was any further discussion of the drafts or that any written reply to Attlee was ever sent.

According to Account of the Iranian Oil Controversy, page 126, however, Secretary Acheson told the British at San Francisco that a blanket endorsement of every step that the United Kingdom might take with regard to Iran would identify the United States with the AIOC to the detriment of both powers. Acheson further indicated that neither state should do anything which would make it difficult for Iran to resume negotiations and stressed the need for full cooperation between American and British Embassies in Tehran and for continued consultations between the two governments.

The texts of the two draft replies to Attlee are in Telacs 4 and 5, September 1, infra and Document 83. Documentation relating to the drafting of the two proposed replies and the exchanges between President Truman and Secretary Acheson is in files 888.2553/8–2451 through 9–351.