Page:Documents from the Den of Espionage.djvu/81

 SECRET

COUTNRY Iran

SUBJECT of Shapur Bakhtiar

REPORT NO. NIT-5552

DATE OF REPORT 20 June 1961

NO. OF PAGES 1

REFERENCES NIT-5530

DATE OF INFO. 1 June 1961

PLACE & DATE ACQ. Iran, Tehran (1 June 1961)

SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. NOTE FOREGOING EXPLANATION.

SOURCE: Government official (F) with good connections in political opposition groups. Appraisal of Content: 3.

1. Shapur Bakhtier, member of the executive committee of the National Front said on 1 June that the nationalists had certain connections with the Soviets. In his view, Soviet policy toward independent countries had changed considerably since the death of Joseph Stalin. The Soviets, he felt, were now willing to support genuine nationalistic movements in a country, and had given up the idea of imposing Communist controlled governments in such countries. He found the Soviet attitude toward nationali to be quite attractive.

2. Bakhtiar said that Ali, Prime Minister, had appointed a small group of his friends to talk with representatives of the about cooperation between the  and the government. Bakhtiar did not feel that any significant progress would be made.

3. Bakhtiar said that Mohammad was  as a leader, but would always symbolize the nationalist spirit of the country. He said if he were appointed Prime Minister, his first act would be to pay his personal respects to {{illegible} at his village. Foasadaq belonged to another arm, and would have no active role in running the country again.

Source Comment: Bakhtiar probably will be named spokesman for the National Front.

Field Comment: See FIT-5530 for another report of Andni's efforts to obtain support. Bakhtiar probably was aware that his remarks would be made know to United States officials.

The extent to which Dr. Bakhtiar's attitude toward the Soveits is shared by other leaders of the NF is not clear, but it is evident that the NF leaders do not accept the that a neutral Iran having economic and political ties with the Soviet Union will inevitably drift into the Soviet orbit. Bakhtiar did not elaborate on what he meant by "certain connections."

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