288. Memorandum From the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Bowie) to the Under Secretary of State (Hoover)1
SUBJECT
- Iran’s Role in Middle East Defense
This is in response to your query of January 82 as to what role Iran is expected to play in Middle East defense (reference is made specifically to NSC 5402/1, paragraph 21(c)).
The role which this Government desires that Iran play in Middle East defense is not as yet entirely clear. From the political point of view, it is important that she be encouraged and enabled to play an active role, cooperating closely with the free world and helping to strengthen or fill out the “northern tier”. This would not only assist our overall political and defense posture in the Middle East but would also strengthen pro–Western elements in Iran and militate against an Iranian relapse into a dangerous posture of “neutralism”.
From the military point of view our position is best set forth by the final sentence of paragraph 11 of NSC 5402/1 which states “No final decisions regarding Iran’s role in area defense can be made until after the entire Middle East military picture has been reviewed.” This is our position at the present time for several reasons:
- [Numbered paragraph 1 (2 lines of source text) not declassified]
- 2. The U.S. military are reluctant to agree to any increased military aid to Iran because of the shortage of funds and equipment for the worldwide military aid program.
- 3. The Pentagon, apparently stimulated by Admiral Radford, is in the process of rethinking its overall views on Middle East defense in event of general war.
- 4. There will be a military meeting in London on January 18 with British and Turkish military to review Middle East defense.
In the light of the above the Joint Chiefs refuse to be specific about the military role they wish Iran to play in Middle East defense and will probably continue so to refuse for several more months.