As an Iranian I had no doubt His Majesty the Shah would seek more military and foreign aid.

With great propaganda efforts, the Shah strives to maintain U.S. support. He is loved by the people; is the best bulwark against communism in the Middle East, etc. Moscow’s attack on him “proves” it. The more the Shah is attacked the stronger his support from the West.

In my opinion, Communists love the Shah. No one could do a better job in keeping people suppressed and immersed in ignorance and poverty, thus providing ideal fertile ground for the seeds of communism.

Iran, a virtual police state, has a strong Army which consumes over 40% of the State budget plus an untold amount of American military aid. The function of this Army, as even its heads admit, is not to fight the Russians, but to cope with the civilian populace and keep the Shah on his shaky throne.

[Pro-Shah U.S. Senator Hubert Humphrey in May 1961: “Do you know what the head of the Iranian army told one of our people? He said the army was in good shape, thanks to U.S. aid – it was capable of coping with the civilian population. That army is not planning to fight the Russians, it is planning to fight the Iranian people!”]

U.S. policy under the last administration has been to maintain the status quo in Iran. It is a policy that—as Justice Douglas puts it—has been communism’s greatest political asset. [William O. Douglas]

Nominally, Iran is a constitutional monarchy with a king as a figurehead and a parliament elected by the people, which in turn elects a premier. The parliament is non-existent. The Shah has intrusted [sic] the legislative power to his puppet Premier. [Ali Amini, favored by the Kennedy administration] There is no freedom of expression, press, or assembly. [Very limited, but not none]

How can America count on Iran as an ally when she supports only the leader and forgets the people—the real strength of a nation?

Dr. Iraj Dehghan.

I read with dismay Dr. Iraj Dehghan’s recent letter criticizing the Shah of Iran. By word and action the Shahanshah has given definite proof of his profound desire to lift his people out of the abyss of poverty and disease. All doubts as to his good will for the development of his country and his desire to establish a democratic and prosperous social structure for his people have been repeatedly shattered by the tangible progress which the nation has made during his reign. His genuine interest in the welfare of his people was reiterated during his recent visit to the United States, when he reaffirmed his decision to speed up reforms in his homeland.

Every month hundreds of Europeans and Americans visit Iran either on duty or as tourists. They see for themselves the conditions of life, the comparative wellbeing of the people, and the progress which the country has made during the past decade. They see the peaceful and yet the very fundamental evolution which is taking place in all aspects of life in Iran. They come face to face with a nation which, with dedication and in perfect self-confidence is marching toward a brighter future.

Responsible and well-informed Americans can testify to the sincere efforts which are being made under the Shahanshah’s leadership by the Amini government to rectify past mistakes, to bring about social and economic reforms and to establish social justice.

Dr. Siavach Mohanna
Baltimore, Md