AN AUGURY OF REVOLUTION: THE IRANIAN STUDENT ...

Iranians, Supervisor of Iranian Students in the United States Habib Naficy and Mr. Kowsar, to
counter the attacks made by the anti-regime demonstrators and fights broke out between the two
groups. 244 In the middle of the commencement ceremony, a plane that was rented for 250 dollars
by a group of students flew overhead which carried a banner that said, “Need a fix See the
Shah.” A police helicopter chased the plane away from the ceremony. 245 This reference to
heroin greatly angered the shah. 246
When the shah returned to New York on 12 June from Los Angeles he was greeted by
about 15 demonstrators. 247 The shah appeared distraught and rundown when he met with three
representatives from the Defense Department and one State Department official before he
returned to Iran. While most of the meeting dealt with modernizing Iran’s armed forces through
American weapons sales, the student problem was discussed. One American policymaker
thought that the large-scale demonstrations in Los Angeles had depressed him. 248 The shah told
American officials at the meeting that the events at UCLA demonstrated that “he was the subject
to what one might call an international conspiracy led by the communists with active assistance
of Nasser and the Arabs.” 249
The grievances of Iranian students grew more vocal when the Iranian majlis passed a law
that gave full diplomatic immunity to 1,800 American military advisors and their dependents.
This agreement was known as the Iranian-American Status of Forces Agreement. It was
244 Telegram from the Department of State to the Embassy in Iran, 16 June 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 91.
245 Memorandum of Conversation, “Military Modernization Discussions with the Shah of Iran,” 12 June 1964,
FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 84; DOS to AE Tehran, 16 June 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 91.
246 There was a letter sent from the International Federation for Narcotic Education that was sent to Clark Kerr in an
attempt to prevent the shah from receiving the honorary degree. It emphasized the heroin problem in Iran and
alleged that Princess Ashraf was arrested by Swiss police in 1962 for having numerous suitcases of heroin. See
Letter from International Federation of Narcotic Education to Clark Kerr printed in ISAUS, Iran in Turmoil, 35.
247 Washington to Tehran, 16 June 1964, FRUS 1964-1968, Vol. XXII, 90-1.
248 Memo of Conversation, “Military Modernization Discussions with the Shah of Iran,” 12 June 1964, FRUS 1964-
1968, Vol. XXII, 84.
249 Memo of Conversation, “Military Modernization Discussions with the Shah of Iran,” 12 June 1964, FRUS 1964-
1968, Vol. XXII, 84.
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