AN AUGURY OF REVOLUTION: THE IRANIAN STUDENT ...

people whether they were themselves directly concerned or not.” 236 There was also a threatening
letter sent from Hasan Lebaschi, an anti-shah student organizer, to President Johnson. 237
Phillips Talbot stated that “Our relations with the Shah, and hence our national security
interests, have been seriously endangered by increasing activity on the part of anti-Shah Iranians
in the United States, which may culminate in humiliating and perhaps dangerous demonstrations
at the UCLA Commencement in June.” 238 A month before the commencement, officials at
UCLA received large numbers of reports that hundreds of Iranian students and sympathizers
were planning a “massive, well-organized and well-financed demonstrations.” 239
American officials urged the shah to cancel his appearance at UCLA and confine his
appearances strictly to East Coast locations such as NYU and American University. 240 The shah
rejected the possibility of canceling his appearance at UCLA and stated that a cancellation would
be considered a victory for his enemies. 241 Jernegan told Andrew Hamilton of UCLA that he
approached the INS in order to “throw the fear of God into the students.” 242 Despite the threats
and warnings, there were more than two hundred anti-shah protesters in attendance at the UCLA
commencement ceremony. 243 There were pro-shah demonstrations organized by two official
236 Memo of Conversation, “Iranian Student Preparations to Demonstrate Against the Shah,” 12 May 1964, RG 59,
NA.
237 Memorandum of Conversation between Foreign Minister Aram, Ambassador Mahmoud Foroughi, and Talbot
and Jernegan, “Anti-Shah Iranian Students in the U.S., and the Nasserite ‘Danger,’” 27 April 1967, General Records
of the Department of State, Central Foreign Policy Files 1964-66, Box 2337, Folder POL IRAN-US, RG 59, NA.
238 Talbot to Harriman, “Request that you ask the Attorney General to Begin Deportation Proceedings against an
Anti-Regime Leader in the United States,” 13 May 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 37-8.
239 Telegram from the Department of State to the Embassy in Iran, 12 May 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 36-7;
“UCLA Student Demonstrations against the Shah,” DNSA, Iran Revolution, 12 May 64, Secret, Cable State, 000834,
IR00518.
240 Telegram from the Department of State to the Embassy in Iran, 12 May 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 36-7;
“UCLA Student Demonstrations against the Shah,” DNSA, Iran Revolution, 12 May 64, Secret, Cable State, 000834,
IR00518.
241 DOS to AE Tehran, 12 May 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 37; “UCLA Student Demonstrations against the
Shah,” DNSA, 12 May 64.
242 Memorandum of Conversation between Andrew Hamilton (UCLA) and John D. Jernegan, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of NEA, “Shah’s Visit to UCLA in June,” 18 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.
243 Matin-asgari, Iranian Student Opposition to the Shah, 75.
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