Mr. Hoover in Teheran
Yet another American fact-finding mission has arrived in Persia. This time it is Mr. Hoover, special adviser to Mr. Dulles on oil problems. His visit was made with the prior knowledge of the British Government, and there is no reason to take too seriously recent suggestions that the Americans are deliberately exploiting British difficulties with a view to establishing a predominant position in Teheran. But, what- ever Amercan intentions may be, this may well be the upshot of these continuing contacts. The Shah and General Zahedi are fully alive to the strength of Persian nationalism which drove the British from Abadan and the oilfields. Indeed, they probably sympathise with it. At the same time, Persia cannot resume oil production on a significant scale without technical help from the West. In short, the Persian dilemma is to attract foreign technicians on terms that will satisfy nationalist opinion. Mr. Hoover will doubtless hear the latest Persian views from the Committee of Five appointed by General Zahedi to examine the oil problem. The Persian proposals may include an offer of partial compensation to " the former oil company," and will certainly propound plans for re-starting the industry with " international " technical assistance. It is unlikely that any compensation offer will even remotely match the company's claims; and the fact that the Persians are press- ing a solution of the oil problem before resuming diplomatic relations with Britain suggests that their thinking on inter- national participation in the matter of technical assistance is heavily weighted against the British. On this point, any Persian Government, if only for self-preservation, is likely to stand firm. For all the good will in the world, the Washington Administration would find it difficult to resist proposals that would not only ensure a resumed flow of Persian oil, but also bring substantial benefit to American oil interests.
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