Decision by Iran’s Premier Mohammed Mossadegh to attend personally the United Nations debate on the question of Persian oil naturally could be subject to a variety of interpretations—including one that the Persian premier can’t resist the temptation to stand in the world spotlight.

We prefer to believe, however, that it means either that the ruling regime in Iran believes it has a case that will stand up before the bar of world opinion, or it fears the consequences of arbitrary refusal to plead its cause before the U.N.

Either of the latter reasons would be encouraging. For if the Mossadegh government thinks it has a just complaint, there is the implication that it will be slow to reject the judgment of the U.N. And if it is apprehensive of the reaction of other nations, perhaps the willingness to defy Britain is not so sweeping as to embrace the entire Western world.

Sir Gladwyn Jebb, British delegate to the Security Council, made some telling points in his address before that body last Monday. Not the least of these was the claim that Iran’s reckless pledge violation would discourage the investment of Western funds in backward nations all over the globe.

Many small nations today are seeking financial help to exploit and develop their natural resources. And since such aid, once granted, would constitute an exact parallel of the Iran situation, capital can be expected to shy away after such a horrible example.

This in itself promises to prevent the U.N. discussion of the affair from becoming a contest between great and small countries. Premier Mossadegh will, naturally, have the support of the Communist bloc. [not necessarily!] But it won’t be friendly support; rather, a case of the common enemy.

Indeed, Soviet approval is becoming more and more like a kiss of death because of the new spirit of Western solidarity—particularly as it was displayed at San Francisco.