155. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State1
849. Re Embtel 847.2 In course of hour’s audience with Armour and myself, Shah did not himself mention Department’s recent statement re independence and territorial integrity of BP Muslim powers. HIM appeared in unusually solemn mood. It was only towards end of interview when I asked him pointblank if he thought statement would have stabilizing influence in area that he replied without any evident enthusiasm that he felt it would help. He then stated that of course only thing which would really stabilize situation in ME was for US to adhere to BP. He realized a statement of intention to join with any long intervening delay before proposal could be put to Senate for ratification might be difficult not only so far as US domestic politics are concerned but because would permit opposition build-up from Arab states and SU. He said of course any announced intention to join which was not followed up in fact by US adherence would be fatal to Pact.
He then asked what it is that US is afraid of. Is it reaction in Arab states or is it reaction in SU? The former he discounted as unimportant, feeling that we could persuade more friendly Arab states and that adverse opinion of Egypt, Syria and Jordan did not count in any case. As for SU, it had blustered when Iran joined BP and had also blustered when West Germany joined NATO but had then subsided. He said that if necessary for reassurance US adherence could be accompanied by a reiterated statement by Iran to effect it would not permit establishment foreign bases on Iranian soil in time of peace or some similar phrase.
Remainder interview was naturally devoted to aid program with accent on Iran’s need for greater military build-up. Shah stated if it was felt Iran could not absorb military matériel in greater quantities this condition could readily be rectified by increasing number of Iranian military students in US and size of US training teams in Iran. Shah concluded with well-known argument that Iran is key to defense northern tier and its present military weakness is danger not only to itself and Middle East but to whole world.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 780.5/12-256. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Ankara, Baghdad, Karachi, London, and Paris.↩
- In telegram 847 from Tehran, December 1, Chapin reported that Prime Minister Ala and Foreign Minister ArdAlan, in a Foreign Office statement, had responded favorably to the recent U.S. statement on the Baghdad Pact (see Document 152). (Department of State, Central Files, 780.5/12-156)↩