File No. 763.72119/380
The Persian Minister ( Mehdi Khan) to the Secretary of State 1
Mr. Secretary: His Imperial Majesty’s Government has instructed me to communicate to your excellency that it experienced the utmost pleasure upon receipt of the President’s note of December 18, 1916, regarding peace terms, transmitted through the United States plenipotentiary at Teheran, and to express to you the hope that a step so benevolent and humane will meet with the success it deserves.
I am further instructed to say that, notwithstanding we declared ourselves neutral, a large part of our country has been disturbed and devastated by the fighting of the belligerents within our boundaries. In view of this fact, you can not doubt that we heartily welcome and endorse the move the President has made.
Furthermore, inasmuch as His Majesty’s Government understands from the President’s note that he desires the preservation of the integrity and freedom of the powers and the weaker nations, and in view of the firm friendship which has always existed between our two countries, it ardently hopes that the Government of the United States will assist our oppressed nation to maintain its integrity and rights not only for the present but whenever a peace conference shall take place.
- Note in the margin of MS: “Handed me by the Persian Min. Jan’y 15/17—R[obert] L[ansing].”↩