At the end of World War II, Havana, the capital of Cuba, was a perfect example of what is known as a primate city. This condition develops when one city becomes so dominant that it prohibits cities in other parts of the country from developing.
In contrast, Taipei was also a capital, but not strictly speaking a primate. Still, as the largest city in Taiwan, it exhibited many primate characteristics.
On the other hand, Isfahan was not a capital. While the governments of both Taiwan and Cuba were preoccupied with devising strategies to divert population growth from Taipei and Havana, the Iranian government was targeting Isfahan for expansion.
The second largest city in Iran, Isfahan was selected to be the center of Iran’s process of military-led industrialization in order to shift urban pressure from Iran’s primate city, Tehran.
Also, in contrast to Taipei and Havana, Isfahan received support from both superpowers (sometimes concurrently) until the Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979.
Soviet support was logical given Iran’s historically close relationship with the Soviet Union, analogous to Cuba’s close relationship with the United States. American support evolved from the Allied occupation of the country in World War II.
Isfahan presents a good example of a Soviet turnkey operation in its Russian steel mill located on the outskirts of town, and is perhaps the prime example of urban transformation due to major weapons import from the West in the Third World.
Isfahan, located in the center of one of America’s forward defense areas, was important not only for its geographical location, but also because of Iran’s large oil reserves. Facilitated during the 1970s by ever-growing oil revenues and by the implementation of the Nixon Doctrine, the shah of Iran began to purchase a range of weapons and support systems that he expected would meet both regional contingencies and maintain US military objectives.
Ultimately, Iran spent more on American arms and associated services than any other non-European country.
Concurrent with escalating arms purchases, the shah embarked on a program of military-led industrialization which expanded Isfahan’s economic and urban base. The city’s central position contributed to its selection as an industrial hub, and its numerous military facilities greatly benefited from the shah’s defense expenditures.
A viable arms industry was declared to be a precondition to successful industrialization, and since the arms sector was traditionally subject to state control, the expansion of arms production in Isfahan offered advantages for both Iranian capital and American enterprises.
The purchase of the F-14 Tomcat, the latest Western jet fighter, along with helicopter and training purchases from Bell Helicopter, disproportionately modified Isfahan’s urban identity as large numbers of Americans and their families flowed into the city to provide expertise and training.
By 1970, Bell Helicopter had 1,800 employees (plus dependents) in Isfahan. The function of these employees, in addition to supplying maintenance training and skills, was to supply tactical training to Iranian pilots involved in the creation of a helicopter-borne strike force. Grumman had approximately 2,000 employees and dependents in Isfahan in 1976, with the number expected to grow to more than 10,000 by 1980. These foreign arrivals were supplemented by large numbers of Iranian technicians and military personnel arriving from other areas of the country.
