AN AUGURY OF REVOLUTION: THE IRANIAN STUDENT ...

people. Show the Shah that you condemn his attitude. Long live the struggle of
the Iranian people for freedom and justice! Down with the dictatorship! 202
Protests also occurred in the United States during the shah’s first official visit with
President Johnson in early June 1964. Dean Rusk believed that this visit was very important “to
the maintenance and strengthening of friendly ties.” 203 Security was a major issue for this trip.
American policymakers were especially concerned about the speech that the shah was to give at
UCLA graduation ceremony. Many officials believed that the announcement of high profile
appearances gave dissident students advance notice of his locations which provided them with
ample time to prepare protests. 204 President of the ISA of Southern California, Mostafi Kaidi
Chaharmaheli, was enrolled at Woodbury College in Los Angeles and was active since mid-
March in organizing anti-shah activities in the Lost Angeles area. 205
Because of the security concern, the Director of SAVAK notified the U.S. government
that three officers would be dispatched to Washington prior to the shah’s arrival and that their
primary concern was to monitor the activities of Iranian students. 206 These security measures
were taken because of the “highly disturbing reports regarding the intentions” of a “small but
highly vocal and active group of anti-regime Iranians” in the United States. 207 In addition to
security issues, these students were “seriously undermining the base of confidence necessary
202 “Shah in Tirol,” in AE Vienna to DOS, “Iranian Student Activities in Austria,” 14 February 1964, RG 59, NA.
203 Letter from Frederick G. Dutton to Congressman George E. Brown, 9 June 1964, General Records of the
Department of State, Central Foreign Policy Files 1964-66, Box 2331, Folder POL 7 IRAN (1/1/64), RG 59, NA.
204 “Various Aspects of Program for Shah’s Visit,” 20 May 1964, General Records of the Department of State,
Central Foreign Policy files 1945-66, Box 2331, Folder POL 7 IRAN (1/1/64), RG 59, NA.
205 Mace to Farrell, 15 May 1964, RG 59, NA.
206 American Embassy in Tehran to the Secretary of State, “Shah’s Visit,” 23 May 1964, General Records of the
Department of State, Central Foreign Policy Files 1964-66, Box 2331, Folder POL 7 IRAN (1/1/64), RG 59, NA.
207 Letter from Acting Administrator of the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs Charles H. Mace to INS
Commissioner Raymond Farrell, 15 May 1964, General Records of the Department of State, Central Foreign Policy
Files 1964-66, Box 2331, Folder POL 7 IRAN (1/1/64), RG 59, NA; This letter is referred to on p. 39 footnote 3 in
FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII.
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