277. Editorial Note
At the 419th Meeting of the National Security Council, September 17, Allen Dulles briefed the Council on Soviet pressure on Iran as part of his “Significant World Developments Affecting U.S. Security.” According to Boggs’ memorandum of discussion, Dulles’ account reads as follows:
“Mr. Dulles next turned to relations between Iran and the USSR. He said there was determined pressure on the Shah to induce him to modify his present relations with the U.S. and to establish closer relations with the USSR. The Iranian Ambassador to Moscow, on being called back to Iran for consultation, described a talk with Khrushchev in which the latter asserted that Iran would obtain more money from both the U.S. and the USSR by pursuing neutralist policies than by pursuing its present policies. Mr. Dillon added that Khrushchev had threatened to invoke the Soviet-Iranian Treaty of 1921 if Iran did not adopt a more neutralist course. Mr. Dillon believed that the Shah, who is not particularly firm, might be tempted to adopt a more neutralist attitude. In any case it was interesting to speculate on the influences Nehru might bring to bear during his visit to the Shah.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)