891.105A/5–2445: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Iran (Ward)

272. Urtel 344 May 24 and despatch 292 May 12. Question of renewal of gendarmerie agreement has been discussed with Schwarzkopf.76

While Schwarzkopf favors renewal of agreement in spite of difficulties being encountered, he believes we should take advantage of apparent strong Iranian desire that mission continue to obtain assurances from Iranian Govt of more effective cooperation and of discontinuance of harmful political interference in gendarmerie affairs.

Dept agrees with this view and desires, subject to approval of Ambassador Murray on arrival,77 that Embassy make it clear to Iranian Govt that agreement will be renewed only upon direct Iranian request and then only if satisfactory assurances are given that there will be more effective cooperation and less political interference.78 Both Dept and Schwarzkopf believe War will concur in renewal if Dept recommends.

Grew
  1. Discussion with Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Chief of the United States Military Mission to the Iranian Gendarmerie, took place on May 28.
  2. Ambassador Murray assumed charge of the Embassy in Iran on June 5. In telegram 465, July 6, 1945, 4 p.m., he reported that the Iranian Government had approved the addition of two officers to the Schwarzkopf Mission, thereby increasing its strength to eight officers and two enlisted men (891.105A/7–645).
  3. For further expression of Department’s views on this matter, see telegram 379, July 25, 7 p.m., to Tehran, p. 553.