Dusty Answer
It is clear that the British Government's attitude to the question of Persian oil has hardened as a result of the exchange of Notes that has followed the proposals made by Mr. Churchill and President Truman on August 30th. The patience shown so far in the face of persistently unhelpful communications from Dr. Moussadek has been so marked that a feeling had begun to grow up that one side or the other was preparing some really important concession which would loosen the log- jam of irreconcilable proposals and counter-proposals. But that growth has now been shown to have no real roots. There is nothing new in the latest British Note of, October 14th. There was no point on which Mr. Eden could give way. And there has not been the slightest sign of relenting in Teheran. At the time this is written the Majlis has not met to consider the situation, but it is unlikely that it could advise Dr. Moussadek to keep the exchange going by giving way to the British Government on any of its latest (but already perfectly familiar) points of argument. It still remains true of course that in a reasonable world Persia, as well as Britain, would still try to keep the door to negotiation- open in order to secure a revival of the oil industry and thus avert complete economic breakdown. But Dr. Moussadek does not live in a reasonable world and his countrymen do not seem to con- sider that that makes him a bad leader. He could probably fulfil even his threat to break off diplomatic relations, thus making a settlement more distant than ever, and still remain in office.
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