WEEKLY SUMMARY SPECIAL REPORT IRAN: BUILDING UP THE MILITARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R001500070002-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 7, 1974
• Content Type: REPORT

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 Approved For Release 1999/09/25: CIA-RDP85T00875R001500070002-3
secret
Ni Foreign D .ee;n
Weekly Review
Special Report
Iran: Building Up the Military
Ier et
Nd 838
Jtme 7, 1974
Approved For Release 1999/09/25: CIA-RDP85T00875R001 dO fb6?/74A
 Approved For Release 1999/09/25: CIA-RDP85T00875R001500070002-3
SECRET
SPECI/tL !?F_pr)p"i ;~rr+ upplc~riierit try thn i._.r.;,, + tritr?lli-
yenrp i;Yunr) by the r)ffirn rif Current_
Intr?ifig~n
fihp 7~jnri f) f?t1 r)rts *q pt)blishhrl ;mpyrately tri pr'rrTnit more
rr/rti~jtgfler vti ftr?:tttrlcrtt SuJbjert They Ire prepares) by
thn rlffiro of Gutrertt Infplliyenrr~ the r)ffirr+ rif Errlnrjmlr
I p-p*rh, thti r)ffira rjf Strnteyir p!eseirrh, ir,rl thn Dirnr-
tdr%ttr rif Srlnrlrn iris) ferhnrylogy. 7ppr.i71 r'!~",?:?fs .1rr? rf)
ritrli 1 tthr) y nl~fytrtpri Ite trnrJny the Dirertrjra,ts of CIA but,
hyrnpt frjr the nrjrt7lnl stjbstantivr? ey,rhange? with rather
ngenrie; if fhn Wr)rt'irty Ipt~hl, have not been rrrjrrlinaterI
rtt)fsir}a C'IA t/nip;, ;finrifir:itly inffir:tterl.
Additional Warning
NATicNAL SECURITY INFORMATION
1)nat.tthnrizprl Disclosure Suhjert to Criminal Sanctions
C(assif ipd fly 00587 7
r:.hrrtpt from gannrgt de!?igc;ifiratidn ;ratndlilr?
7f C ~) 1 tticri2, F f:l'itif on Catertrry:
F 5H (11, (7), and (3)
Autnrn itir iUy derl~ ,if Ind
on' Delp Imnrr ctiip to Dr!tr!rrninri
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/25: CIA-RDP85T00875R001500070002-3
 Approved For Release 1999/09/25: CIA-RDP85T00875R001500070002-3
IRAN
Building Up the Military
Approved For Release 1999/09/25: CIA-RDP85T00875R001500070002-3
StCV T NO POPE IGN C3tSSEwM
 Approved For Release 1999/09/2tPl~P85T00875R001500070002-3
A,,, /.'r,n'fpn,
(ran, T/fyich ;1fre irJy has 4hd firghst arid hest eq))Ipparf armed force in the Persian
Gulp arr~a, I; eYrgaged in a it)15sive nlllit.rr/ deg elopment }ro!)rarr., Major neat/
aert!JiS+tiG:is of rant';: aircraft, acid stliph ill hr rrarf>=! within the, ne/t fe'fl ./ears. The
Shah is dr*tdrminrrf tr) icrt!tire the most Stlr)histicateff military hard!r/arg available, as
sorority it in t what hr! sees as rr,'{~ir)rjtrr and Int,'rnatl!)Clal tf-irr?ats to Irani, The arrival
of sa rnr)r;h ~_ rtrri irnent is certain to ?rr!i~i ihr,~ car):acity of the Ir.3r)i:ari armerf fors?s 'o
absorb it.
t.irr)!)rirJ fr)rre 8ddltion=. will include nearly ? ,; 900 BOW-,h-built Chia
_ft=sin tanks,
the r7ir),t ad r cooed cornfrlt far!k ~/et (tevofr)ped For the air frir Tehrur intends try
tnlrrhase "r?/ r7$ 7rfuadrr)ns ref new f=-14 iritgrrn(jtr7r aircraft frr)rrr the US. These
planes 'will he nr!terinq . r`-/ir:e with the fr rri.ut,c flhrorit tf?? xarrjc timr.' they he-omo
operatir)nul with the lj riav'jl. Irarr ialsr)'~'Npr r;t5 to contract for the r-1.5 air superi 7r
f fy fighter, which his only recently begin ussktr)orj to an operatinrwif unit ir the US.
New addiiioris to Iran's navy will he * French-huilt missile-armed patrol boats and
two dsrstrw/ers on ardor from the ?)S, Tehran is also considering buying a cruiser
designed to carry V/STi=JL aircraft =old hr:licr)Eyter~,.
Iran is also irnnrr,virig grid r;rr)anr)ing its naval and air facilities on the Persian
v!rrr, r rr,, rrrrt~rrrisitr)gninare aesignPa to 5trengtrtr?n ttier;,cuntry'!, ability to protect
shipping through the gulf. The )onstruction of a huge naval base near the gulf's
entrance is a symbol of the Shah's determination to carry cut what he ?ees as
Tehran's responsitlility to be the guardian of this oil-rich region,
Special Report _ 2 -
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 Approved For Release 1999/09/2SECIREMD P85T00875R001500070002-3
!V') !.',rriC,1? f)!-,':on
Th- Shah, who views hirnself as a successor
to Cyrus irlrt Darius and has a predilection for the
grandiose, is bent on restoring Iran to a position
of greatness in the WW1-1. The self-crnfidence
wined frorTi domestic successes and tran's pre-
eminer,cee in the Persian Gulf have encouraged
him to Seel. a broader role for himself and his
country. I he riiihtyry is the Ile';; to his plans. He
spet-s to develop Iran's arrner, fr,rcrs in order tr,
yain ir,lurn,iti/,risi rbSt.iS_l, I, (,ruJiri' d Loot to
Iran's national pride, ,and to garner satisfaction
for his r,tr/ n ego.
Tehran's current defense policy is governed
both by the Shah's determination to safeguard
the oil industry that fuels Iran's economic boom
and his concern for the integrity of Iran's borders.
The Shah is notoriously a "worst case" planner.
Particularly worried about the proximity of im-
pi tali, petroleum assets to th tram border, h
believe= that overwhelming military superiority is
the only way for Iran to discourage Iraqi adven-
turisni, Beycrid that, the Shah harbors an inbred
distrust of his most powerful neighbor, the
Special Report
lJSSp-a distrust reinforced by Iran's experi:inre
with Soviet occupation during World War I t and
the subsequent attempt by the 5nviel I, lnir.,n to
annex parts of northern Iran.
Internationally, the Shah fears the expansion
of Soviet influence in the Indl7n Ocean and in the
Persian Gulf, Iran's apprehensions about the in-
tentions of its northern neighbor have been in-
creased by heavy Soviet military assistance to ira.r
as well as by Soviet influence in South Yernen