Reminiscences of William W. Lehfeldt, 1988.

Biographical Note

Diplomat

Scope and Contents

Diplomatic/foreign service training and early experience; Economic Commercial Counselor to US Mission in Iran, 1969-1974; impressions of US ambassadors: Douglas MacArthur II, Joseph Farland, Richard Helms; impressions of Shah and Iranian officials; views on economic, social, political situation in Iran; US-Iran foreign policy, Nixon administration; oil production in Middle East, Persian Gulf: 1971 Tehran Agreement, 1972 St. Moritz Agreement; collective bargaining between US oil and Iran; 1973 oil crisis; US-Iran Joint Economic Commission; policy re: military purchases, Shah as peacekeeper; US banks' involvement and investment in Iran; impression of Pahlevi family; arms sales to Iran; morality of US businesses in Iran; departure from Iran in 1973, retirement from foreign service; work for General Electric in Iran, 1975; role of Chamber of Commerce in Iran; precursors to revolution, Shah's attempts to maintain control; anti-Americanism in Iran; Carter's foreign policy; Black Friday; Shah's deteriorating health; evaluation of causes of revolution, US behavior in Iran

Subjects

• Burr, William, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• Diplomats--Interviews.
• Interviews.
• Iran--Economic conditions--1945-1979.
• Iran--Foreign relations--United States.
• Iran--History--Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, 1941-1979.
• Iran--Politics and government--1941-1979.
• Lehfeldt, William W.--(William Wesley)--Interviews.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Petroleum industry and trade.
• United States--Foreign relations--Iran.
• United States. Department of State.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Oral History of Iran Archives, 1988