AN AUGURY OF REVOLUTION: THE IRANIAN STUDENT ...

government needed to “take whatever measures we can to bring the situation under better
control.” 169
Phillips Talbot noted that Iranian students were “embarrassing our relations with
Iran at a time when it is in our interest to indicate in every way possible our support for the
fundamental reform program which the Shah has undertaken.” 170
Talbot wrote in a memorandum to Secretary of State Dean Rusk that about 25 of the
5,000 Iranian students in the United States were “hard core,” and have “for several years
severely embarrassed our relations with Iran by engaging in violent anti-regime activities.” 171
To alleviate the shah’s suspicions, Talbot and Rusk once again urged Robert Kennedy to deport
Fatemi and Qotbzadeh because “their continued presence has a serious adverse impact on our
relations with Iran.” 172
Foreign Minister Aram once again emphasized that the continuation of
protests by Iranian students in the United States “could affect Iran-American relations.” 173
On 24 December, Ali Fatemi and Qotbzadeh met with representatives of the U.S.
government to “discuss the problem in U.S. – Iranian relations caused by anti-regime activities
of the Iranian Students Association.” 174
Iranian students in the United States continued to attract
attention because “the ISA had continued to engage in activities which were troublesome and
169 Letter from Dean Rusk to Robert F. Kennedy, 11 October 1963, General Records of the Department of State,
Central Foreign Policy File 1963, Box 3260, Folder EDX IRAN, RG 59, NA.
170 Talbot to Rusk, “Agitational Activities of Anti-Shah Iranian Students in the United States,” 5 October 1963,
FRUS 1961-1963, Vol. XVIII, 724.
171 Talbot to Rusk, “Agitational Activities of Anti-Shah Iranian Students in the United States,” 5 October 1963,
FRUS 1961-1963, Vol. XVIII, 723.
172 Talbot to Rusk, “Agitational Activities of Anti-Shah Iranian Students in the United States,” 5 October 1963,
FRUS 1961-1963, Vol. XVIII, 724-5.
173 Memorandum of Conversation between Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Aram and John D. Jernegan, Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs, 6 October 1963, General Records of the Department of State, Central
Foreign Policy File, 1963, Box 3260, Folder EDX IRAN, RG 59, NA.
174 Memorandum of Conversation, “Warning to Anti-Regime Students in the United States,” 24 December 1963,
General Records of the Department of State, Central Foreign Policy Files 1963, Box 3234, Folder V 31, RG 59, NA.
(continuation of the document was found in Box 3942 POL 22 IRAN)
46