Attachment B: Draft Telegram to Algiers

DRAFT 14C -BECRET/SENSITIVE Attachment B DRAFT TELEGRAM TO ALGIERS The Foreign Ministry would be asked to convey the follow- ing message to Ambassador Malek in Tehran: 1. Our highest priority remains the Iranian acceptance of the position which you have taken to Tehran on our behalf. However, as time passes, we both need to give our attention to assuring that this round of exchanges ends in such a way as to make it possible for the Iranians to continue efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully with the new Administration. In any public statements we make as January 16 approaches, we will have very much in mind the desirability of keeping the negotiating options open for the Reagan Administration, and we hope that you will be able also to take advantage of any opportunity that keeps the door to negotiation open. 2. We are particularly concerned by the increased number of state- ments by Iranian leaders that the hostages should be put on trial. It seems possible that the Iranians might shift their attention from the present exchanges to applying immediate pressure on the new Administration by threatening to try the hostages. We hope that you will keep very much in mind that an Iranian move to place the hostages on trial would confront the new Administration with a situation where important options seem to be closed and would invite sharp reaction. We would very much appreciate your assessment or Iranian intentions in this regard so that we can move quickly to prevent trials if possible. We also hope that you will also do whatever you feel you can do to dissuade the Iranians from trials. DECLASSIFED Por; Ree Profoct SECRET/SENSITIVE ESDN: NLC-6. -31-9-5- BY. a NARA, DAJE 7/21/15