891.24/9–148: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
1025. Saw Shah for more than two hours yesterday. Almost entire period was devoted to arms credit program with Shah manifesting greatly aggravated discontent. As is inevitably the case in all such conversations with him he persistently raised the question of Turkey with, I think, erroneous and jealously exaggerated ideas of the military and economic aid which the US is furnishing that country. He alleged that it was obvious that in case of war with the Soviet Union we were planning to use airfields in Turkey against the Soviet Union and would let Iran go down the drain. He manifested deepest concern that the US had apparently ignored completely the great strategic importance of his country and felt moreover that we were wasting invaluable time. He went into details as shown in transcript of meeting on August 10 of Iranian purchasing commission with Army and Air Force representatives. He described the furnishing of tanks to Iran with inadequate ammunition as serving no useful purpose. He went on to say that arms credit program as now set up would destroy American prestige and greatly impair the friendship which had been built up in Iran for the US. He regarded the situation as most serious for him and Iran. He had made plans to defend the country against Russian invasion. These plans were completely invalidated by the inadequacy of American help. He had therefore seriously considered changing his policy. He would abandon any idea of organized resistance and in event of aggression against Iran he would tell every Iranian to get his gun and fend for himself. He emphasized and reemphasized what he considered to be the vital importance to the US in the event of war for Iran to be able to impede Soviet access to Absdan and the Persian Gulf.
During our conversation I used all possible counter arguments with no apparent success. He is obviously obdurately stubborn. I insisted that he should discuss military matters with General Grow since it was field in which I was not qualified. He will see General Grow tomorrow but he urgently requested that in meantime I inform you of our interview.
The state of mind of the Shah is clearly something that should be taken seriously.