American Strategic Studies

American Strategic Studies

The Pattern of United States Influence in Iran during the Second Pahlavi Era Based on the Documents of the Espionage Den (Former U.S. Embassy in Iran)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Alireza Toopa Heydari 1
Hassan Mohammadmirzaei 2
Ali soroosh 3
1 Master's Degree, Regional Studies-North America, Shahid Sadr Institute for Civilizational Studies, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran
2 Senior Researcher, World Studies Department, Shahid Sadr Institute for Civilizational Studies, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Assistant Professor, World Studies Department, Shahid Sadr Institute for Civilizational Studies, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran.
10.47176/asr.1356
Abstract
Following the Second World War, West Asia acquired particular strategic importance for the United States, within which Iran occupied a central position in this critical region. Accordingly, the United States undertook a wide range of measures to exert influence in Iran—especially during the Second Pahlavi era—in order to maximally advance its core objectives in Iran and the broader West Asian region. Given the necessity of a historical examination of this issue, as well as transformations in the international arena, identifying the pattern of this influence is of considerable importance. Therefore, this study seeks to answer the following question: based on the documents obtained from the former U.S. Embassy in Iran (the Espionage Den), what was the pattern of U.S. influence in Iran during the Second Pahlavi period? To address this question, the research employs an inductive qualitative content analysis method. On this basis, all documents obtained from the former U.S. Embassy in Iran were examined and analyzed, and subsequently subjected to specialized coding and categorization. According to the findings, the pattern of U.S. influence in Iran during this period can be classified into three main components: objectives (regime overthrow, behavior change, and alteration of the balance of power), targets or audiences (agents, formal state structures, political groups, and the general public), and dimensions of influence (soft and hard). The documents associated with each of these components reflect the United States’ sustained and systematic efforts to exert influence in Iran during the period under study.
Keywords
Influence
United States of America
Iran
Second Pahlavi Era
Espionage Den Documents

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American Strategic Studies
Volume 5, Issue 3 - Serial Number 19
Serial number 19 - Autumn 2025
Autumn 2025
Pages 108-159

  • Receive Date 19 September 2025
  • Revise Date 26 November 2025
  • Accept Date 03 December 2025
  • Publish Date 22 December 2025