891.20/5–1549: Telegram
The Ambassador in Iran (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
655. HSO in spite twice repeated assurances to contrary is going ahead with project, Army’s taking over gendarmerie together with its police functions. The idea is bad and the timing is worse. HSO has [Page 519] been under heavy fire in Majlis, there is martial law, and Shah, following favorable action by Constituent Assembly and Majlis, is assuming greater powers. Soviet propaganda will make much of all this and will color absorption of gendarmerie by army as sinister move towards military dictatorship. Liberal elements in US and UK will doubtless view development unfavorably. Suggest Department mention matter to Ala who has some influence with Shah.1
Please pass Armed Forces.
Repeated London 104, Moscow 90.
- The Department, on May 17, advised Tehran that “Ala today cabling Tehran his and Mazhari’s views which parallel those expressed urtel 655” (telegram 449, 891.20/5–1549).↩