Greeted by President Nixon The Shah of Iran makes an amazing speech on “Revolutions” vs “Evolutions” in the Middle East which seems to echo through time given what is taking place today in the the Middle East and North Africa. (10/21/1969)
Another Proof that Shah was No US Puppet:
A taped conversation between Senator Ronald Reagan and President Richard Nixon disappointed by the Shah’s lack of Support on a Resolution regarding incidents between the US and China at the United Nations (1971).
Nixon Transcript in the beginning of the conversation:
Nixon: “We didn’t get Iran though, Dammit you figure there is the Shah, we’ve done all the things for him, but eh … and then these African countries I must say they were disappointing …”
Shah of Iran at the National Press Club, 1973:
“As far as we are concerned, we are not the toys of any country, including the United States”
Reagan on Shah:
Paradoxially despite the Shah’s apparent rebuttal of Nixon in the above conversation, Presidential candidate Reagan talks about why he objected to Jimmy Carter abandoning the support for Shah of Iran, during pre-election debate
Richard Helms on U.S. Public Opinion, Debate and Wars:
Richard McGarrah Helms (March 30, 1913 – October 22, 2002) was the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) from 1966 to 1973. From 1973 to 1976 he served as US ambassador to Iran in Tehran. ( More on Helms Here )
NOTE1: The character William Martin, portrayed by Cliff Robertson in the 1977 television miniseries Washington Behind Closed Doors (based on John Ehrlichman‘s novel The Company, was loosely based on Helms.
Recommended BOOK:
An Ambassador’s Wife in Iran, by Cynthia Helms
Mrs. Helms’ recollections of the mid-1970s in Iran include society-page material-who was there, what they wore, what they ate-vignettes of Embassy house keeping, and an intelligent tourist’s curiosity about a new country. She was aware of the problems beneath the surface glitter of the Shah’s Iran and gives some impressions of leading personalities, but on matters of policy and diplomacy, and what her Ambassador-husband was up to, she maintains total discretion.
Related Blogs:
THE PAST IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY: How Would You Evaluate Iran’s Democracy Index in 1953 ?
AXIS OF COOPERATION: Egypt, Jordan and Iran working with US in 1950s
KISSINGER’s ADVICE: Henry Kissinger Speaks to Charlie Rose on President Obama and Egypt
Tunisia could benefit from bitter lessons of Iran’s clumsy ’79 revolution
SATIRE: Egypt’s “Papyrus Revolution”
THE LAST PHARAOH: The Life and Death of Egypt’s Anwar El Sadat (25 Dec 1918 – 6 Oct 1981)
WHO’S THE EXPERT? John Simpson Proves Barbara Slavin Wrong on Libya
Former US Secretary of State Warren Christopher dies
