840.20/2–149: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Iran
86. Iranian Amb1 inquired Jan 25 whether Iran had been considered in connection North Atlantic Pact. Dept replied substantially as follows:
We have given careful consideration to situation Iran in relation anticipated Atlantic Pact and fully recognize its security requirements cannot be overlooked. However, for geographical and other reasons it was clearly impracticable to include Iran in Pact itself. Furthermore, contemplated association of US with mutual defense group of this kind represents such radical departure from traditional US policy that we were obliged proceed very cautiously and step by step. Did not feel able as yet consider desirability regional group to include Iran and other Near East states.
Nevertheless, we recognized we must avoid giving false impression that, by apparently preemptive commitment to Western Europe, we are abandoning Iran to predatory Soviet designs. Iranian people must not be led to feel that increased US support to Western Europe means any lessening of support for Iran and correspondingly USSR must not be given impression that aggression against Iran would go unchallenged because of apparent US concentration on European security. There would be in fact no slackening in US support of Iran and we were studying ways and means of making this clear to world. We cld not yet say what measures wld be taken to this end, but we were confident satisfactory action would materialize approximately concurrent with conclusion Atlantic Pact.
Dept also pointed out strengthening of Western powers through Atlantic Pact would itslf constitute security factor for Iran, since it wld tend to restore balance power and create strong point which shld have deterrent effect on any Soviet plans for aggression anywhere in world.
- Hussein Ala.↩