309. Letter From the Shah of Iran to President Johnson1
Dear Mr. President,
I thank you most sincerely for your detailed letter of 24th July,2 in which you have stated your opinions and enlarged upon various topics that I had the pleasure of discussing with you during my recent visit to Washington.
Once again, I would like you to know how glad I was to have had the benefit of a frank and valuable exchange of views with you on matters affecting the interests of our two countries.
I too, am highly gratified to observe the amicable relations and the good understanding that exist between Iran and the United States of America, which I trust will continue to be further consolidated to our mutual advantage in the years that lie ahead.
As you, Mr. President, are no doubt aware we have already drawn up our military defense plans which, as you will agree, are absolutely vital and of paramount importance to the maintenance and the safeguarding of the interests of an independent sovereign state. You will also concur with me that we cannot rely on one-year military programmes, but must envisage effective long-range plans for our defence. It is my hope that your Government will be able to continue to meet our requirements as before. I look forward to receiving, as soon as is convenient, the results of the detailed technical evaluation which your experts are carrying out on the project for the defence of the Strait of Hormuz.
I had also hoped that by selling Iranian oil on the American market on a barter basis, this would have facilitated our purchase of American [Page 553] goods, while at the same time enabling us to invest part of our capital in the United States. But, to my regret, this does not, owing to certain difficulties that you have indicated in your communication, seem feasible at the present time.
The matter concerning the shifting of a portion of my country’s dollar reserves into long-term United States assets is under careful study and serious consideration at the moment, and I shall be pleased to apprise you of the outcome in due course.
I wish to express my gratitude for your thoughtful offer of up to 50 additional United States Air Force personnel as advisors for Iran’s F–4 aircraft on a reimbursable basis. This, I am convinced will be of great assistance to us.
In conveying my deep appreciation of the kind and friendly sentiments that you, Mr. President, have expressed on your personal behalf and on that of the People of the United States of America in regard to my country and myself, I send you my cordial and heartfelt good wishes for your continued success in the great task that lies on your shoulders of leading your Nation towards an ever brighter and more prosperous future.
With kindest regards to you and Mrs. Johnson from the Empress and myself,
Sincerely,
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Special Head of State Correspondence File, Iran, 7/1/68–10/31/68. No classification marking.↩
- See Document 307.↩