Once Upon a Time in the New World
Iran and Old Friend... And a Responsible Partner.

During his reign, the Shah of Iran met with each U.S. President since 1943. It began with Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943 (top - left) and continued with President Truman in 1949, Eisenhower in 1958, and Kennedy in 1962. At time, I was a young attaché at the Embassy of Iran in Washington. In 1967, began era of close economic cooperation with the US under President Johnson.

With President Nixon in 1969, a trade protocol of $15 billion was signed. In 1975 there was with President Ford, (last picture left) a trade agreement for $52 billion! Then came President Carter whose photo with the Shah I must add... The latter, somehow, pulled the rug from under the feet of the Shah, plunging our homeland and the region into chaos. Because of the dire consequences of his gross miscalculations, we are now  known  as a rogue state and a pariah nation... an inadmissible situation for any Iranian. Truly, following decades of goodwill, an Olympic record of bad relations has been reached. When will that end?

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