From Territorial Dispute to Diplomatic Partnership

When the UN report was published in May 1970, the Iranian Parliament (the Majlis) did something almost unheard of in Middle Eastern geopolitics: they voted to accept the findings. By officially dropping the claim to Bahrain, the Shah paved the way for peaceful relations. This move was criticized by some Iranian nationalists, but it was a masterstroke of regional diplomacy that stabilized the Gulf.