691.1115/8
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)
The Iranian Minister called on me this morning to advise me of the latest developments in connection with his efforts to obtain credits from the Export-Import Bank with a view to stimulating trade between the United States and Iran.
[Page 641]Mr, Schayesteh told me that he had recently had conversations on this subject with Mr. Grady37 and Mr. Feis,38 also with Mr. Jesse Jones, Administrator of the Federal Loan Agency, and Mr. Warren Pierson, President of the Export-Import Bank. From the Minister’s account of his conversations I gathered that he was reasonably encouraged.
Mr. Schayesteh expressed the hope that officials of this Department would take a sympathetic interest in the matter of credits to Iran and in particular that any credits that might eventually be granted should not be too restricted to serve the purpose which his Government had in mind. In this connection I gathered that Mr. Feis and Mr. Jones as well as Mr. Pierson may have pointed out to the Minister that any such sum as the Iranian Government had had in mind would be out of the question but that study might be given to the possibility of credits in a far more modest amount.