Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XVIII, Near East, 1962–1963

42. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)⁰

Washington, September 14, 1962.

McGB:

You should know about attached in case JFK raises an eyebrow. For some time now Soviets have been trying to get Iranians to issue joint communiquaying Iran would permit no foreign bases, especially for missiles.¹ Soviet aim obviously to tie Iran’s hands and also make foreign bases subject of joint USSR/Iran consultation ever after.

Iranians refused, but offered issue unilateral statement saying no foreign missile bases would be allowed. At first Soviets balked, then tried to get statement altered. Then this Wednesday Soviet Ambassador Pegov suddenly agreed to Iranian text with two changes.

One proposed change very interesting! It would read “the foregoing does not mean that … [Iran] could not exercise its sovereign right to have any kind of weapons, including missiles, which would be under its control on Iranian territory.”² Holmes objected on grounds Soviets could claim US officers in Iran in fact in control, especially if nuclear warheads should ever be involved (since these would remain in US custody).

But think of Cuban analogy. What if Sovs were able to say “we recognize right of a country on our border to have missiles under its own control, but US won’t allow this right to Cuba.” This may be farfetched but I’m glad Holmes talked Iranians out of any such statement.

Aside from above, I don’t see much harm in Iranian declaration. We can back Iranian argument that this proves Iranians have no “aggressive” intentions and aren’t serving as US stooges. Of course, what if Castro issued similar statement?³

Bob K.

0. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Iran, 9/13/62–9/23/62. Secret.
1. Attached to the source text is telegram 394 from Tehran, September 12, reporting on the most recent developments concerning Soviet efforts to obtain a statement from the Iranian Government indicating that no foreign missile bases would be allowed on Iranian territory.
2. Brackets in the source text.
3. On September 15, the Iranian Foreign Ministry sent a note to the Soviet Embassy in which it affirmed that “the Imperial Government of Iran, in order to declare its goodwill and further to strengthen the foundations of friendship between the two countries, is desirous of giving assurance to the government of the USSR through this note, that it will give to no foreign power the right of having missile bases of any type on the territory of Iran.” When delivering this note, Foreign Minister Aram indicated verbally: “I formally declare that, as His Imperial Majesty has repeatedly stated, the Imperial Government of Iran will at no time permit Iran to be a medium of aggression against the territory of the USSR.” (Reported in telegram 411 from Tehran, September 15; Department of State, Central Files, 788.56300/9-1562)