Cold War Context

CENTO (Baghdad Pact)

1955 Cold War defensive alliance of Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey and the UK, "concerned with the maintenance of peace and security in the Middle East region"

CENTO's infrastructure

Secretary-General Mirza Baig noted developments of Iran-Pakistan and Turkey-Iran roads and railways and the Ankara-Tehran-Karachi radio microwave link; the UK supplied 150,000 pounds for the Iran-Pakistan road

Truman's Point Four Program

1949 - the precedent that American know-how in agriculture and health would help third world nations, improving standards of living, democracy and capitalism; a catalyst of the White Revolution

Kennedy's letter to the Shah

August 1962 - encouraged "urgent social and economic programs" to maintain Iran's "steadfastness in remaining vigilant against the pressures of international communism"

Soviet threat and arms spending

1960 CIA Report: the "arrival of Soviet military aid in Iraq added to feelings of insecurity felt by anti-Communist Iranians"; a 1972 Intelligence Memorandum listed the USSR as the third largest arms supplier

US arms deals with Iran

7 AWACS (airborne warning and control system) planes were sent to Iran valued at $1.2 billion in 1977; a May 1972 Intelligence Memorandum confirmed Tehran received $1.4 billion in arms in the previous 5 years

Shariati's ideology and the NAM

Convergence of Shia Islam and Marxism - secular opposition spread into the MeK, learning about the "armed struggle" in Algeria, Vietnam, China, Cuba and Latin America

Shariati and Che Guevara

Translated Che Guevara's Guerrilla Warfare, specifically against oppression by feudalism, capitalism and imperialism; Imam Hussein was framed as an early-day Che

Cold War logic for the one-party state

In 1975 the Shah argued those reluctant to join the Resurgence Party must be "secret communists"; he retorted "Democracy? What do these words mean? I don't want any part of them"