43. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1 2
Subject:
- Shah of Iran’s Expectations Concerning Increased Oil Sales in the United States
The enclosed telegrams from Ambassador MacArthur are the latest in a series of indications that the Shah and other GOI officials have high hopes that a way will be found to permit Iran to increase its oil exports to the United States and that they are counting heavily on alleged Presidential assurances to the Shah, given during his October state visit. While the work of the Cabinet Task Force on Oil Import Control is not yet completed we understand that its thinking is crystallizing around recommendations which would not materially enhance Iran’s chances of increasing its oil exports to the United States. Predictably the Shah will be sharply disappointed if these recommendations become U.S. policy.
As there is no written record of the President’s conversation with the Shah we find it difficult to assess the Shah’s present expections. We would appreciate it if you could shed any light on this critical point.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 601, Country Files, Middle East, Iran, Vol. I, 1/20/69–5/31/70. Secret; Exdis. The enclosures, Telegrams 4792 and 4834 from Tehran, November 24 and 27, are not published.↩
- The Department was concerned about reports from Tehran that the Iranians were anticipating a favorable reply to the oil import scheme on the basis of alleged assurances from President Nixon during the Shah’s visit.↩