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  4. Document 265

893.00/2–149: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Iran 1

secret
Washington, February 1, 1949—7 p. m.

us urgent

84. [From] Wiley2 for Somerville. Rumors have reached me that Shah intends nearest future precipitate question constitutional reform.3 While I am not out of sympathy with his aim I still feel he should proceed step by step with creation of senate as already provided for in constitution as essential first step. In view of fact that our Arms Credit Program is now beginning to flow in, that Iranian Govt intends to take step with SC re Iranian-Soviet relations4 and [Page 476] that we quite possibly may follow up this step with strong note to Sov Govt with copy to SC for info, it looks to me as if situation is such that there should be no added perturbation at this moment. In other words Shah should carefully consider not merely what steps he may desire to take for constitutional reform but still more important timing of any such steps. In my opinion he will be very ill advised to rock boat in any way at this time.

Pls try and get this message to Shah soonest. [Wiley.]

Acheson
  1. This telegram was repeated to London as 361.↩
  2. John C. Wiley, Ambassador to Iran; at this time, in Washington for consultation.↩
  3. For documentation on the question of constitutional reform in Iran, see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. v., Part 1, pp. 88 ff.↩
  4. This reference is to the so-called AlA–Entezam proposals which called for the Iranian Government to send a communication to the Security Council, for its information, detailing Iranian relations with the Soviet Union, in connection with the Iranian case, which remained on the agenda of the Council. Nasrollah Entezam was Iranian Representative at the United Nations. The Department, on January 14, informed Tehran that Ambassador Ala had expressed renewed interest in communicating to the Council developments bearing on the Iranian case. It advised Ambassador Wiley that the “US is not urging course of action upon Iran. However, if Iran Gov is united in favor this step, it can be assured of sympathetic reaction here.” (Telegram 27, 501.BB/1–649)↩