In the early 1960s, when the State Department's Policy Planning Staff that included William R. Polk encouraged the Shah to distribute Iran's growing revenues more equitably, slow the rush toward militarisation, and open the government to political processes, he became furious and identified Polk as "the principal enemy of his regime."
Di awal 1960-an, ketika staf perencanaan kebijakan AS, termasuk William R. Polk, mendorong Shah untuk menyebarkan pendapatan Iran yang bertumbuh secara lebih merata, memperlambat militerisasi, dan membuka pemerintahannya terhadap proses-proses politik, ia menjadi berang dan menganggap Polk sebagai "musuh utama rezimnya."