204. Memorandum From Harold
Saunders of the National Security Staff to the
President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1
2
Washington, June 12, 1972
SUBJECT:
- Guidance for Follow-up on Shah-President Talks
When we were in Tehran, you agreed that it would be desirable to record
as instructions for the bureaucracy those specific commitments which the
President made to the Shah on provision of military equipment so we can
establish the basis for follow-up. A memorandum is attached [Tab A] for
this purpose.
In reading my formulation, you will want to bear in mind (a) the
practical limitations which we face in providing some of this equipment
and (b) the rather free interpretation the Shah is making of the
President’s promises [Tab B]. In my memo, I have tried to convey the
President’s commitment while giving Defense latitude to deal with some
of its problems. Specifically:
- 1.
- On the F–14 and F–15 aircraft, Defense feels our own units
should have preference on delivery and also wants to avoid what
happened when we committed the F–111 to Australia before full
operational testing. I should think we could handle this, having
committed ourselves in principle, by keeping the Shah posted at
each major milestone in the testing and production so we can
agree on the time when it would be appropriate for Iran to place
its order.
- 2.
- On the laser-guided bombs, the Shah feels the President
promised to provide “all available sophisticated weapons short
of the atomic bomb.” The laser-guided bombs, of course,
represent very advanced technology which we would not want
compromised. In any case, our forces in Southeast Asia are using
our full production at the moment. Defense may come back with
one of two responses: either a timetable for delivery after our
Vietnam needs have peaked or the suggestion to provide “smart
bombs” short of the laser-guided bombs until they are
available.
- 3.
- On the “blue-suiters,” the Shah is saying that the President
promised “any number that is needed in Iran”—this, in the
context of the Shah’s remark that the Soviets have 10–20,000
technicians in Egypt. The Pentagon will have to find a way to
cope with a legislative limit on the numbers of such people that
we have stationed overseas. It may be possible to deal with them
outside the normal MAAG
framework, but as you know the provision of “advisers” has a
sticky history with the Congress.
The memo at Tab A asks the Pentagon, coordinating with State, to come
back by June 30 with a timetable and method for carrying out these
commitments.
Two other questions relating to follow-up:
- —Was there any discussion of our Persian Gulf naval force and
did the President promise to
re-study
it?___________
enlarge it?____________
reduce
it?___________
withdraw it?_________
no
discussion___________
- —Did the Shah urge the US to take more Iranian oil?
Yes
___________
No ________
Recommendation: That you sign the memorandum
at Tab A if you feel it captures the main elements in the President’s
commitment.
[Page 3]
Tab B
Message From the Chief of ARMISH/MAAG (Williamson) to
Secretary of Defense Laird and Secretary of State Rogers
Tehran, June 5, 1972,
1328Z
SecDef for OSD/ISA/MESA; SecState
for Iran desk; DCINCEUR for Gen Surchinal
Subj:
- Audience With His Imperial Majesty
- 1.
- Major General Williamson had one and one-half hour audience
with His Imperial Majesty on 5 Jun 72. This is the first
audience that was at the request of His Imperial Majesty as
opposed to my request.
- 2.
- HIM asked about Brigadier General Price’s condition and
expressed his extreme regret for the bombing incident. He stated
although his country has relatively few dissident individuals,
it appears that every country has a few sick minds that can only
be satisfied through violence. He stated that the economic
progress and the social reforms that are being implemented
appear to be adequate for most all thinking people, however, it
is impossible to completeley stamp out violence.
- 3.
- HIM stated his complete satisfaction with President Nixon’s visit and expressed the
thought that it was a great psychological boost to this part of
the world as well as a practical recognition of what needs to be
done over here. HIM stated that he felt that he received two
major understandings from the President. First, Iran will get
all available sophisticated weapons short of the atomic bombs.
Second, the United States will provide the necessary technicians
and advisors to permit Iran to advance its armed forces
[Page 4]
as rapidly as
possible.
- 4.
- HIM stated that he specifically avoided identifying a number
of technicians that the United States should furnish, however,
he did mention that the USSR has placed somewhere between 10,000
and 20,000 technicians in Egypt. After HIM mentioned this number, the President is
reported to have said that the U.S. will furnish any number that
is needed in Iran.
- 5.
- HIM expressed his satisfaction with the thirty-six additional
spaces that have been authorized for ARMISH/MAAG and asked if
there was a legal limit to the size of the MAAG. I explained the
congressional actions of last January and told him that, in my
judgment, the MAAG, as it furnishes top-level advisors, is
probably still needed. We agreed that the major requirement at
this time is middle managers and technicians, as personified by
the TAFT team approach. It was agreed that major programs such
as the improved Hawk missile system, ground forces aviation,
aerial refuelers, etc., would be the yardsticks by which the
requirements for technicians would be measured.
- 6.
- I explained the latest information with respect to the
improved Hawk missile, showing tentative delivery schedules and
formal training required technicians. It was agreed that the
main time-saving approach on the part of the Iranians would be
selection of qualified English-speaking persons for the training
programs. At this time, HIM stated that he would consider
transferring qualified personnel from the other services into
the air force if necessary to accelerate the time of operational
readiness.
- 7.
- HIM expressed some concern regarding the U.S. Navy standard
missile. Several countries’ representatives, specifically
Britain, France, and Belgium, have recently indicated that their
countries’ extent they are using as their basis a Reuters
release of a G.A.O. report out of Washington, dated 4 Apr 72.
This report states that the United States has spent over one
billion dollars developing the U.S Navy standard missile and has
not yet succeeded. In fact, the report states that [garble]
standard missile is experiencing a decrease in effectiveness. I
explained to him the atmosphere in which some GAO reports are
submitted and covered the fact that often these reports are
submitted and stated in a manner designed primarily to avoid
future mistakes. We covered the danger of taking a derogatory
report out of context before the challenges have been duly
investigated. I explained the rationale behind the standard
missile, which him appeared to accept quite readily. (As a
matter of information, General Toufanian, the Deputy Minister of War for
Armaments, and General Azhari, the Chief of the Supreme
Commander’s staff,
[Page 5]
have both made trips to Europe within the last month to attend
demonstrations and receive sales pitches. Both have expressed
the thought that they prefer U.S. equipment, however, other
countries are making unusually optimistic claims.
- 8.
- With respect to the international scene, HIM again spoke for
some time, explaining his views of the surrounding countries.
With regard to pakistan, HIM again explained that he was quite
fearful that the country would not be able to hold together. He
stated, however, that President Bhutto, who is visiting here
this week, is the best that appears to be available and can hold
the country together if anyone can.
- 9.
- HIM described Kuwait as a real tragedy of the decade,
explaining that he was fearful that Kuwait was developing into
the catalyst that would spread difficulties throughout the
area.
- 10.
- Regarding Iraq, HIM stated that the recent USSR/Iraqi agreement has forced
him to change his views with respect to the Middle East area. He
stated that his initial objective was to get the British out and
to insist that no other major power come in. Since the signing
of the USSR/Iraqi pact, HIM
says that he is completely willing for the U.S. to come into
this area if it will do so with quality. He repeated that he was
thinking of quality and not quantity, stating that a few
Corvettes are not appropriate. He would like for us to put on
display, in this area, the most modern pieces of equipment that
we can. He did not go into further detail.
- 11.
- Moving farther south, HIM expressed the thought that Saudi
Arabia had many possibilities, but is progressively becoming
surrounded by dissident elements to such an extent that he is
most fearful that the country will be under fatal challenge in
ten to fifteen years.
- 12.
-
Regarding disposition of military forces within the country
of Iran, HIM once again covered the importance of having
adequate ground forces strategically positioned to assist in
maintaining stability and the development of his country. At
this time he was specifically referring to Chah Bahar and
Zahedan. He stated that the publications coming out of Iraq
were surprising as they extended the Baluchistan area north
through Afghanistan. However, they were even more shocking
as they moved the border west of Bandar Abbas. As HIM
deploys his armed forces in the eastern part of the country,
he stated that he would probably organize another armored
division to cover the extreme east to include the Zahedan
and Chah Bahar area and that utilizing the additional
fighter squadrons that he has in mind and reducing his
concentration at Vahdati, he can place aicraft at Chah Bahar
and Kerman. (No aircraft to be permanently stationed at
Zahedan.) HIM stated that his refueling capability would
permit
[Page 6]
him to
cover Zahedan with aircraft coming out of Kerman, Bandar
Abbas, and Chah Bahar.
- 13.
- HIM spent considerable time discussing the Khuzistan area and
the fact that it now represents almost a complete balanced
society. He stated that its agricultural output is now equal to
all of the rest of the country and that its steel, oil, and
petrochemical industries make it an extremely valuable area. He
is contemplating building a 200,000 barrel per day oil refinery
on Kharg Island. He stated, however, that he believed it
essential that he not run his natural resources dry in a period
of twelve years, summing up with the statement that he is
thinking in terms of utilizing his oil resources over a period
of at least thirty years. At that time he again covered the fact
that Japan and Europe cannot survive without oil from this area
and that the United States would be extremely hard-pressed
maintain its present projections. He stated that he fully
supports a detente in Europe, but is quite insistent that it not
be accomplished in isolation. His great concern is that the
oil-producing countries of the Middle East may become fragmented
and at least some of their output be denied the Western
world.
- 14.
- HIM stated that, in his judgment, relations between the United
States and Iran were the best they have ever been and that he
was confident that we would continue our close ties.
