▁all ▁ranks ▁as ▁possible ▁for ▁a ▁fare well . ▁... ▁▁ ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁later , ▁I ▁encountered ▁Hal de man . ▁" What ▁happened ▁to ▁our ▁understanding ▁that ▁my ▁exit ▁would ▁be ▁post pon ed ▁for ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ?" ▁I ▁asked . ▁" Oh , ▁I ▁guess ▁we ▁forgot ," ▁he ▁said ▁with ▁the ▁faint ▁trace ▁of ▁a ▁smile . ▁▁ ▁And ▁so ▁it ▁was ▁over ." ▁ ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Iran ▁After ▁Hel ms ▁left ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁C IA , ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁service ▁as ▁U . S . ▁amb assador ▁to ▁Iran ▁as ▁designated ▁by ▁President ▁N ixon . C f ., ▁N ixon ▁White ▁House ▁T apes ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁N ixon ▁President ial ▁Library ▁& ▁Museum , ▁released ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁Jun ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁This ▁recording ▁apparently ▁presents ▁a ▁tele phone ▁conversation ▁between ▁N ixon ▁and ▁Hel ms , ▁evidently ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁after ▁his ▁amb assador ial ▁appointment ▁but ▁before ▁his ▁leaving ▁for ▁Iran . ▁This ▁had ▁caused ▁the ▁dismiss al ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁current ▁amb assador , ▁Joseph ▁Far land . ▁After ▁being ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁Senate , ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Hel ms ▁proceeded ▁to ▁his ▁new ▁residence ▁in ▁[ Te h ran , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁American ▁representative ▁until ▁res ign ing ▁effective ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁During ▁these ▁years , ▁however , ▁his ▁presence ▁was ▁often ▁required ▁in