The Importance of Oil in US-Iranian Relations Post-British Withdrawal (1968-79)

Abstract

The following article seeks to examine the intricate relationship between the US and Iran, spanning four administra- tions between 1968 and 1973. Determining and clarifying the interplay between key considerations which resulted in the establishment of US Policy in Iran is the primary aim of this paper. In particular, analysing the role that Oil played in the establishment of US policy. This paper explores the following facets of US involvement in Iran: the roles of Oil; the Cold War; US domestic pressures; the importance of regional stability; and the personal relationships between US and Iranian leaders. Primary sources are used in the majority of cases and are evaluated in the context of modern historical interpretations and schools of thought. The author contends that the aforementioned elements are structurally linked to the dynamics of great power politics in the Cold War. Specifically, he refutes the assertion that US-Iran relations sought merely to further US Corporations oil interests, and contends that though oil was the main interest in the gulf, its importance was derived from it played in the containment of the USSR. Moreover, the paper seeks to outline how other factors may have influenced the implementation of US policy, rather than the policy aims themselves.