Last month Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi called Iran's legislators to his palace and ordered them to schedule new elections this month. Opposition candidates would be permitted, and the elections were to be completely free. But he explained candidly: "As head of the state, I am above parties, and organizations. If the government is not working properly, even though it has a majority, I can dismiss the government and disband the Majlis. What difference does it make to me who becomes a Deputy?"
Startling as this pronouncement sounded to Western ears, it created...
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