Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Great Britain Sir Oliver Franks, and H. Freeman Matthews

SECRET 5134 434 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 224 Memorandum of Conversation as DATE:August 2, 1951 6 HATIONAL AND SUBJECT: Iran corf PARTICIPANTS: Sir Olivor Franks, British Ambassador The Secrotary Mr. Matthews (a) COPIES TO: S Mr. licGheo (NEA) Mr. Perkins (EUR) s/s 1-1493 After taking up other matters, Ambassador Franka soid he wanted to discues Iran briefly in the light of recent developments. He smid that he was without instructions from London and his observations wore purely personal. In the circunstances under which it was arranged and in the light of his accoxplishments, Mr. Harrinan's mission to Iran, he folt, had been "a God sond." lle was convinced arrangements for the resumption of nogotiations could not have been successful without Nr. Harrinin's very able handling of the situation both in Tehran and in London. However, Sir Oliver continued, he rogardod successful arrangement for the Stolces mission as norely "Act I° in Nr. Harriman'e undortalcing. He thought Acta II and III would be equally important and equally dif- ficult and delicate. In othor mords, ho Baid, he was suro wa wore a long way from any satisfactory solution of the Iranian ofl problem and if Mr. Harriman left Tohran at the present tino thore was grave danger that the talks would broak down. Mr. Stoltes was a bluff, genial, open and hearty man, not accustoned to dealing with the Iranian mentality. on the other hand, as far as he could judgo, was a man with certain very definité and passionately hold beliefs and probably the capacity for employing his intelligence to rationalize his enotions similur to that possessod by Nehru. Under these circunstances he thought it would be difficult for Stokes and Mosaceq to find a common language. Sir Oliver DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (B) 5.12.26 Dept. of State letter, By NLT- HC ,9 NARS Date 6.25.76 SECRET