305. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson1
SUBJECT
- The Shah’s Visit—Follow-up Actions
Recommendations:
That you approve the enclosed letter to the Shah of Iran.2
That you approve the enclosed instructions to Ambassador Meyer.3
Discussion:
When he visited with you on June 11 and 12, the Shah made six specific requests for various types of American assistance, largely in the military field (see Mr. Rostow’s memorandum, enclosed).4 In response to your instructions to be as forthcoming as possible to these requests, each one of them has been reviewed in detail and the suggested letter to the Shah incorporates the principal conclusions of these reviews. As you further instructed, memoranda, one on each request, have been prepared and are enclosed:5
I believe that the suggested response to the Shah is as forthcoming as we can be at this time, will serve to convince the Shah of our desire to [Page 543] maintain our close military relations with Iran, and will therefore contribute to the strengthening of our overall relationship with that important country.
Some of the questions raised by the Shah are complex and I also enclose, for your approval, suggested instructions that you may wish sent to Ambassador Meyer in order that he may explain the background and various considerations underlying your letter.
The Secretary of Defense concurs in this memorandum and the background memoranda enclosed have been coordinated with the Department of Defense. The paper on the Shah’s proposal to barter Iranian oil has also been coordinated with the Treasury Department and the Department of the Interior. The Treasury also concurs in your reminding the Shah of your hope that Iran will shift a portion of its dollar reserves into long-term United States assets.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 IRAN. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Eliot and McClelland on July 11, cleared by Rockwell and Battle, and in draft by Wolf, Soloman, Akins, and Warnke.↩
- Attached but not printed. A typed notation on the source text states that the President signed a revised letter to the Shah; see Document 307.↩
- See Document 307.↩
- See Document 299.↩
- Attached but not printed.↩