doubt in my mind that unless the demands are complied with the Russians will occupy the north of Iran and the British the remainder. My British colleague believes that the British in case of invasion will have the situation so soon in hand that the question of representation of British interests by this Legation will not arise. Although predictions are dangerous it would seem likely that the demands will be refused, that the country will be invaded and that the Iranians will put up a weak gesture of resistance. Iranian troops and equipment have for some time been moving to the north and more recently to the south. The Shah is reported to be near the Turkish frontier inspecting troops. I consider it not unlikely that if invasion comes the Shah will lose his throne.... I have laid up supplies of necessary articles and have taken all possible precautions for the protection of our citizens in case of necessity. DREYFUS 740.0011 European War 1939/13803: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) WASHINGTON, August 16, 1941-7 p.m. 3182. Your 3511, August 8, 10 p. m. Please inform Mr. Eden that this Government appreciates being informed of the nature of the memorandum to be delivered to the Iranian Government, and that our Minister in Tehran has been informed of this action. You may say to Mr. Eden that while we do not wish our Minister to participate in the joint representations being made in Tehran, he will bear them in mind in his conversations on this subject with the Iranian Government. HULL 740.0011 European War 1939/13883: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) WASHINGTON, August 16, 1941-9 p. m. 64. The American Embassy in London has been advised by the Foreign Office that the Governments of Great Britain and the Soviet Union are about to make formal demands upon Iran for the expulsion of four fifths of the Germans in that country. Reports of this step are figuring prominently in the American press which is engaged in speculation as to possible further action which may be taken against Iran by Great Britain and the Soviet Union in case a satisfactory answer is not returned to the joint demands. You should, of course, keep in close touch with your interested colleagues and with the competent Iranian authorities in order that you may keep the Department promptly and fully informed of developments in the present situation. You should also seek an early occasion to discuss the situation with high Iranian officials, and, without associating yourself with the present representations of your British and Soviet colleagues, unless the Department later instructs you to do so, express the earnest hope of this Government that the Iranian Government is taking all necessary measures to avoid a spread into Iran of Nazi activities which could not fail to result disastrously for that country. The examples of Iraq and Syria " are, of course, pertinent in this connection and might be cited in support of the above observation. 77 Meanwhile, in order that the Department may be in a position to evaluate properly all phases of the situation, it is necessary that we should be provided as soon as possible with specific and reliable data regarding the character and extent of any Nazi activities in Iran. In reporting on these subjects please be precise in your statements, differentiating between fact and rumor, and, unless you consider it harmful, you should indicate the sources of information. As you probably realize the information thus far received from your Legation on this subject has been somewhat vague and contradictory and insufficient for the needs of the Department in the present situation. HULL 740.0011 European War 1939/14116 The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State TEHRAN, August 18, 1941-1 p. m. [Received 8 p. m.] 95. The British and Russian notes, referred to in the Legation's No. 92,78 were delivered Saturday. Other than a fresh surge of rumors and increasing nervousness among foreigners there are no important developments to report. There is no indication yet as to any new Iranian Government order. The British Minister's impression is that the Iranians are still seeking a magic formula which will satisfy parties. Developments are expected soon. DREYFUS "For correspondence on the anti-British military coup in Iraq, see pp. 486 ff.; for correspondence on the British occupation of Syria, see pp. 725 ff. 78 Dated August 15, 8 a. m., p. 397. 740.0011 European War 1939/14121: Telegram The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State TEHRAN, August 19, 1941-midnight. [Received August 19-3 p. m.] 96. The British Minister was called to the Foreign Office yesterday to receive the Iranian counterproposal to the British demands: The Iranians would deport the three principal Nazi leaders, Mayer, Gamotta, and Eilers, and would continue their program already begun of expelling about 30 Germans a month as they can be spared. Although the British Minister transmitted the proposal to London by telegraph he informed the Foreign Minister that in his opinion it would be rejected since more than a year would be required to realize the departure of an appreciable number of Germans. I gained the distinct impression in a long conversation yesterday with the Foreign Minister that the Iranians are temporizing and parrying without realizing the seriousness of their situation. Unless they abandon their search for a magic formula and face immediately the realities of the situation they will perhaps within the next few days find it is too late. DREYFUS 740.0011 European War 1939/14205: Telegram The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State TEHRAN, August 20, 1941-1 p. m. [Received August 21-8:45 p. m.] 98. The Shah at the graduation exercises of the Military Academy made a brief address which is significant because it is his first public statement in the present emergency and since it indicates his appreciation of the gravity of the situation. He declared that officers' leaves of absence have been canceled and that they will soon understand the reason therefor. He stated that it is necessary for the Army and its officers to take interest in the present situation and if need be to be prepared to sacrifice their lives. DREYFUS 740.0011 European War 1939/14201: Telegram The Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State ANKARA, August 20, 1941-7 p. m. [Received August 21-9: 13 a. m.] 305. British Ambassador now informs me that August 11 he and his Soviet colleague jointly waited upon Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs and read him for his information similar although not identical statements (Russian one being considerably more full and of harsher implications) as to representations which their respective Governments had made to Iranian Government as to necessity of removing German fifth columnists. Apparently Minister's only reaction was to question number and importance of those constituting such element. (British now estimate them at 2,000 excluding families but in key positions such as communications and oil industry.) 2. When I asked Minister's views on Iranian situation and possible developments yesterday he was conspicuously noncommittal but did eventually acknowledge that Turkey regards with apprehension any possible military activity there. While he made no specific reference to it there can be no doubt that Turks are particularly apprehensive of having Russia come into occupation of Iranian territory bordering their undefended and apparently less easily defensible boundary with Iran. Repeated Moscow, Tehran. MACMURRAY 740.0011 European War 1939/14121: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) WASHINGTON, August 20, 1941-8 p. m. 67. From your 96, August 19, midnight, it would not appear that the Department's 64, August 16, 9 p. m., had been received at the time of your conversation with the Foreign Minister on August 18. You are requested to telegraph whether you have received the Department's 64 as well as a full report of your conversation with Iranian officials pursuant thereto. HULL 740.0011 European War 1939/14278: Telegram The Minister in Iran (Dreyfus) to the Secretary of State TEHRAN, August 21, 1941-4 p. m. [Received August 22-9: 50 p. m.] 99. Reference to Department's No. 64, dated August 16, 9 p. m. The Department will undoubtedly have received the Legation's No. 92, August 15, 8 a. m., concerning the new British and Russian demands. The Legation is indeed in close and harmonious contact with diplomatic officers and Government officials and as a result was able to obtain so promptly the information contained in its No. 92, which was in the nature of a local scoop. The Department must realize that actions of this kind originate in London and hence it is not unnatural that our diplomatic or press representatives there are able to obtain advance information. I appreciate the Department's position as stated in the last sentence of its telegram and will make every endeavor in the future as I have in the past to forward prompt, precise and full information. I am in daily contact with the Prime and Foreign Ministers who make it a point to keep me informed of the Iranian viewpoint. I have called to their attention on several occasions the danger to Iran of German fifth column activities and have mentioned Iraq as a specific example. Their replies which faithfully present the Iranian viewpoint have always been that the Germans came here at Government request, that they have proper employment, that they are committing no illegal acts, that they are under close surveillance and that their movements within the country are restricted. The Foreign Minister told me yesterday, to show how close is this surveillance, that there is an agent to watch every German. The Department must realize the difficulty of obtaining reliable information as to Nazi activities in Iran. The British Intelligence officer with whom we are working closely has been unable through his agents to obtain information as to the internal setup of the fifth column organization. The Legation has, however, obtained the following reliable facts: There are in Iran between 2,000 and 2,500 Germans including families of whom perhaps 1,000 are heads of families and of whom about 700 are in Government employ. Almost none of these are tourists or recent arrivals. Most of them have legitimate employment although a few are doing propaganda and organization work under cover of employment by German commercial concerns. Fifth column activities are directed from the German Legation. Two of the leaders are. Storm Troopers Mayer and Gamotta who have responsible employment with Shenkers. Propaganda is largely directed by Eilers, an archaeologist who has lived many years in Iran and who is co-author of a tract on German propaganda in the Near East. Germans are strategically placed in the radio station, railways, and other public services and are scattered through the country as agents of commercial organizations such as Shenkers and Ferrostahl. Thus there are German agents in all important public services and in all parts of Iran. Their organization centers in a Nazi club in Tehran known as the Brown House. This club formerly went in for military drilling and target practice but this has been stopped by the Iranian authorities. The organization is said to be disciplined and efficient with each man trained as to his duties either for sabotage or as an adjunct to invading German forces. An experienced American radio expert who is installing radio equipment for the Government |