230. Memorandum for the Record1

SUBJECT

  • Meeting with the Shah of Iran
1.
The undersigned met with the Shah of Iran over breakfast from 9:05 to 10:00 o’clock this morning in the upstairs study of Blair House. There was no one else present.
2.
After initial pleasantries, the undersigned expressed appreciation for the Shah’s assistance in establishing and operating the [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] installations in Iran and went into some detail on the value of the take and what it meant to American understanding of [2 lines of source text not declassified]. The Shah was clearly interested in hearing these details and asked several questions.
3.
We then discussed the Iranian students in the United States, and the undersigned gave the Shah his personal assurance that we were not financing these students and that we would not under any circumstances. The Shah mentioned why he had at one time been concerned, but then readily admitted that in the current context we could have no motive for doing this. I repeated to him, and stated that I had said the same thing to the President, that we had nothing to do with these students, [Page 420] except to try to keep an eye on them in the interest of informing the Iranians of their activities.
4.
The next topic of discussion was the [less than 1 line of source text not declassified]. After hearing an expression of thanks for this endeavor, the Shah said that he had felt for some time that the Agency should [1 line of source text not declassified]. The undersigned replied that we would look into this matter. [5–1/2 lines of source text not declassified]
5.
There was considerable discussion of the Arab-Israeli war with particular reference to Israeli tactics, the weaknesses of the Egyptian armed forces, and the phenomenon of Soviet miscalculation and misassessment. The Shah said that he had never dreamed the Israelis could win the war as rapidly as they did. He was obviously impressed when the undersigned told him that the President had been given estimates from this Agency before the war began, stating, within reasonable limits, exactly what happened.
6.
There followed some discussion of the Shah’s talk with the President last evening which would not be an appropriate part of this memorandum. He then discussed this theory of arms purchases, his plan for the Iranian air force, and his general philosophy about the military position of Iran. To the extent that the recipients of this memorandum are interested in these points, the undersigned would be glad to present them orally.
7.
The meeting ended with a rather lengthy dissertation by the Shah on his view of Iran in the world today, what he is trying to do with his people, and where he would like to end up a few years hence in terms of his country’s health and social well-being. Before the undersigned took his leave, he gave the Shah an Agency study entitled “The Outlook for Communist China”. The Shah seemed pleased to receive this piece of paper, understood its sensitivity, and promised to guard it with care.
8.
Ambassador Ansari greeted the undersigned at Blair House and also saw him to the door after the meeting.
Richard Helms 2

Director
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (Helms) Files: Job 80–B01285A, Chrons, Aug.–Dec. 1967. Secret. Copies were sent to DDCI, DD/P, and Chief, NE.
  2. Printed from a copy that indicates Helms signed the original.