How the Baghdad Pact Was Formed
On 10th of October 1955 in the cabinet’s meeting, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi criticized Iran’s sequestered state and its withdrawal from global events and demanded for Iran’s accession to Iraq and Turkey’s defensive alliance.
Two days later, Hossein Ala’, the Prime Minister passed to the Senate the private bill for Iran’s accession to the mutual cooperation of Iraq and Turkey (that Britain and Pakistan had joined recently.) Soviet Union protested Iran strongly and sent its protest letter to Iran’s chargé d’affaires. Iran, in response sent a letter for Russians.
The first meeting of the treaty started on 21st of November 1955 in Baghdad, chaired by Nuri as-Said, Iraq’s Prime Minister, with the participation of the ministers of Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Britain and United States’ foreign minister. In this conference, Ala’ stated that the alliance isn’t aggressive but only formed to legitimately defend national rights.
After three days of negotiations the Baghdad conference ended releasing a 19-article declaration. Again the Soviet Union protested Iran’s accession more vehemently. Iran-Soviet Union ties entered a stormy period which continued during Hossein Eqbal’s prime ministry (April 1957-September 1960).
The meetings of Baghdad Pact were held monthly in the capital cities of member countries. On 14th July 1958, when leaders and foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, United States and Britain were waiting for Malik Feisal and Nuri as-Said, a group of Free Iraqi Colonels under General Abdul Karim Qasem’s command took control of the country in a military coup and killed Malik Feisal, Malik Abdullah, Nuri as-Said and some other officials atrociously.
The coup terrified the members of the alliance, especially Pakistan’s president Eskandar Mirza and Iran’s Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, but Iran and other members of the treaty recognized the new regime of Iraq. However, Iraq left the defensive alliance and the Baghdad Pact changed its name to Central Treaty.
Iraq’s leave and its sending the treaty’s confidential documents to Cairo, caused Iran, Pakistan and Turkey to urge United States enter into this regional treaty that had now changed name to Central Treaty Organization. Although United States was a member in all the committees of the organization, due to the precarious state it declined de jure membership and instead proposed to sign bilateral pacts with the three countries and to immediately aid them in case of being attacked by International Communism.
The U.S. government drew up an agreement plan and delivered it to Dr. Eqbal’s government. According to this plan, in case of violation of Iran’s territorial integrity, by mutual agreement and on Iran’s demand, The United States government would act as required which included military intervention, based on its constitutional law. Also based on Shared Security Law (passed in 1954), its amendments and other relevant laws and agreements with Iran, U.S. would continue its military and financial aid to Iran in order to maintain Iran’s independence and national rule and for the sake of Iran’s progress.
But America's procrastination led Iran to propose Soviet Union to sign a non-aggression pact. Russians accepted this proposition and a delegation headed by Soviet Union foreign ministry deputy entered Iran and started the negotiations
The Break-Up in Egypt-Iran Ties and De Facto Recognition of Israel
On 23rd of July 1960, in a press conference Mohammad Reza Pahlavi spoke about Iran-Israel political affairs and declared that it’s a long time that Iran has recognized Israel as a state. The news was reported by mass media the same day.
Consequently, in a speech in Alexandria, Jamal Abdul Nasser harshly attacked the Shah of Iran, called him the imperialists’ ally and claimed Egypt’s power to topple the Iranian regime.
He also accused Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of having a part in Suez Canal Crisis. Immediately after the speech Egypt cut off its political ties with Iran and expelled Jamshid Gharib, Iran’s ambassador in Cairo and other members of the embassy.
Following Nasser’s speech, in a telegraph, Sheikh Shaltut the chairman of Al-Azhar Islamic University scolded Shah severely because of recognition of Israel. Shah answered that Iran has recognized Israel as a de facto regime since 1950 and there’s nothing new about this issue. In a press conference Abbas Aram Iran’s Foreign Minister countered Jamal Abdul Nasser’s speech and explicitly stated that Iran doesn’t have any political relationships with Israel.
Besides, Egypt’s press countries of Persian Gulf’s southern coast and other Arab countries especially Syria attacked Iran through radio and newspapers.