Dr. Moussadek's Triumph Dr. Moussadek has had a triumph in
New York. This was not in any way due to his presence there or to anything that he said or-did ; it was entirely due to what the Security Council failed to do. The British resolution, as it was finally presented to the Security Council, was such an understatement of the British case that it could only be commended on the grounds of expediency. And even on those grounds it was a failure, since it secured the backing of neither the Security Council nor of the Persians themselves. The New York episode, in fact, was simply another humiliation for Britain, and it would have stood out more sharply if it had not been preceded by so many others. The result is that initiative on the Persian oil question has finally passed out of the hands of the British into the hands of the Americans, since it was the Americans who stage-managed Dr. Moussadek's visit and the performance before the Security Council. There would be no harm in this if there was any real eVidence that the State Department was pursuing a consistent aim ; but, as far as it is possible to make out, its energy is con- centrated on keeping the lines of communication with Tehran open, not on what the lines of communication are to be used for. From time to time in the past couple of weeks British, American and even Persian spokesmen have expressed their desire for a resumption of negotiations ; but that sentiment by itself does not mean that any common interest exists. There is little chance that Dr. Moussadek will moderate his attitude until the heady effects of his American visit have evaporated and Persia's domestic troubles boil over into violence. This may not be until next spring. It would be folly to expect the peaceful retirement of Dr. Moussadek in the meantime.
Previous page
