861.24591/3–2546: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Murray) to the Secretary of State
priority
[Received March 26—10:45 a.m.]
397. At noon today I advised Qavam of Department’s position re Baluchistan oil as stated urtel 238, March 24. I explained that while we duly appreciated his consideration of American interests it must be clearly understood that his assurances this regard were gratuitous on his part and must never under any circumstances be considered to have any relation to question of Soviet evacuation of Iran. I wanted there to be no misunderstanding on this point. Prime Minister agreed that I had correctly stated case and said his offer had been entirely on his own initiative.
I acted promptly in order to avert two dangers which I thought might possibly arise in this connection:
[Page 381]- 1.
- In all good faith Qavam might make bid for American public favor by announcing assurances he had given me. I feared he might not realize folly of such step.
- 2.
- If Russians learned of Qavam’s informal promises (as is likely to happen sooner or later) they might cite them as evidence that we were engaged in making same kind of deal with Iran on oil as they themselves were trying to force through. They could then plausibly charge us with adopting righteous attitude while at same time making profit out of Irano-Soviet dispute. I therefore wanted to make the record clear with no possibility of misinterpretation.
To Department as 397, repeated London 78, Moscow 125.