The Clash of Cultural Diplomacy Strategies of the USSR and the U.S. in Iran in 1939–1953

During World War II Iran proved itself vital for the security of the southern regions of the USSR and the stability of oil extraction for Great Britain. Allied forces entered Iran in August 1941 and both USSR cultural diplomacy actors and their US and British counterparts found themselves in the best position for disseminating their culture and way of life through different mediums. Both the USSR and US relied upon local organisations staffed with Iranians and de jure independent from foreign governments. The All-Union Society for Cultural Ties with Abroad (VOKS), soviet cultural diplomacy body, facilitated the establishment of the Iranian Society for Cultural Ties with the USSR - Anjoman-i Ravabet-i Farhangi-ie Iran va Ittihad-i Jamahir-i Shuravi (the Iran-USSR Society) and provided necessary guidance. Prominent Iranian writers, including Sadegh Hedayat and Mohammad Taqi Bahar, participated in the activities of this society. The Tudeh Party members were among the most active supporters of the Iran-USSR Society, though it proved to be fatal for the society after Shah's crackdown on the Tudeh Party. The Iran-USSR Society was notorious for its widespread distribution of its regional offices in such cities as Mashhad, Rasht, Isfahan, Tabriz and Urmia. The US also established a friendship society called Iran America Society. OSS officer D. Wilber was tasked with the mission. British intelligence reports indicate that Soviet cultural diplomacy with its film demonstrations, public lectures and well-maintained discipline of Soviet troops was producing a favourable impact within the country supported by the image of Socialist modernity that was praised by Iranian left-wing intellectuals. Iranians initially considered the USA to be the “third power” that can be used as a leverage in dealing with the UK and USSR, and Iranian elite’s preferences for Washington was clearly expressed in the 1949 visit of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to the US. Cables from the US Embassy in Tehran indicate that the Americans were very meticulous in their strategic planning for cultural rivalry with the USSR, carefully outlying target groups, penetrating in the local press and radio and also waging psychological war against prominent Soviet figures popular with Iraninans. CIA psy-op against famous Soviet poet A. Lahuti was carried out by D. Wilber and, though carefully staged, proved a failure. Sometimes the exhibitions of the VOKS were targeted by nationalist mobs instigated by the Nationalist Socialist Workers Party of Iran (SUMKA). Both Friendship Societies published magazines in Persian, Payam-i Naw being the pro-Soviet one, and Iran-America being its counterpart. Despite the initial predisposition of the Iranians towards the US, Soviet cultural diplomacy efforts secured a strong position that was strengthened after the coup d’etat of August, 1953, when the image of the U.S. was blackened forever. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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