Office of the Historian

128. Action Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1

Washington, January 31, 1968.

SUBJECT

  • Message to the Shah on the Persian Gulf

We have an opportunity this afternoon—much sooner than we expected—to strike a blow for regional cooperation in the Persian Gulf following Britain’s withdrawal.

State proposes you send the attached message2 to the Shah tonight trying to head off trouble between him and King Faisal. The Shah’s actions in the next few days could seriously damage Iran’s relations with the Saudis at a time when we want the two countries to work together at filling the vacuum the British will leave behind.

The Shah planned a visit to Faisal beginning 3 February, but has decided to cancel the trip because he thinks the Saudis are trying to undermine the Iranian claim to Bahrain Island which is now a British protectorate between Iran and Saudi Arabia. If the Shah stays home, [Page 269] the Saudis will take it as a deliberate insult. Armin Meyer has seen the Shah several times about this, but the best he has been able to get is a delay in announcing the “postponement” of the visit.

The attached message is skillfully drafted to make clear that you expect the Shah to go, but it is not so specific as to be offensive or useless if he decides not to—the only risk is a negative reaction, but this draft stops at praising his foresight and saying you are counting on his leadership.

Our main concern anyway is not the immediate issue of the visit but the future of the Persian Gulf. Good relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran will be necessary to keep things under control when the British leave. The alternatives are instability with a strong chance of an increased Soviet presence. We don’t want to have to replace the British, and we don’t want the Russians there. So we must count on the Shah and Faisal. The proposed message concentrates on these broader issues and would be worth sending even if the visit were not an issue. Since it is, it’s worth trying to get this out tonight if possible to do double duty.

Walt

Approve3

Disapprove

Call me

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Special Head of State Correspondence File, Iran, 1/1/68-6/30/68. Secret.↩
  2. See Document 129.↩
  3. This option is checked.↩