Eastern Annoyances
December 12, 1951 — The Barrier Daily Truth

The Mossadegh Project | September 21, 2017                      


The lead and sole editorial in The Barrier Daily Truth newspaper of Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia about Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

Australian media archive




Mossadeq’s Mistiming

Did we believe in reincarnation, we might suggest that the late comic opera masters, Gilbert and Sullivan, were loose in Persia and Egypt at the present time and shaping their foreign policy. These two countries have taken up a peculiar attitude to Britain. Their efforts to kick Britain out of their affairs would be quite funny were they not so serious a threat to the peace of the world and had the action of these two nations not brought hardship—and, in some cases, death—to many.

Mossadeq particularly has been a tragi-comic figure all along in the Anglo Iranian oil dispute. The latest report is that he was all set in the Iranian Parliament to deliver an ultimatum to the Western powers concerning the purchase of Iranian oil. Just what effect Dr. Mossadeq thinks this might have had we do not know, but the Premier, who seems to be the centre of many an emotional crisis, was fated not to deliver its ultimatum—for it transpired that a battle broken out in Parliament between his followers and the Opposition Deputies. If the Persian Parliament is so fraught with internal strife and the Government is powerless, apparently, to prevent it (Dr. Mossadeq left under armed guard), it is humorous indeed to think that the nation is going to issue an ultimatum to anyone.

Egypt also is making a fuss against the presence of the British. This has caused an unpleasant situation at which it is difficult to see the end. Egypt is in the box seat, so to speak, for it can keep wriggling away without much effort at Britain for as long as Britain likes to stay put, whereas to resist this prodding Britain has to keep fair forces stationed in Egypt; and has to be most wary.

So far as Britain is concerned, it is difficult at the moment to see the advantage of her staying, even though the Canal is vital, [Suez Canal] but there can by no doubt that Britain is right in her attitude and in the principle she is standing by.

Though these incidents in Egypt and Persia are hardly major threats to world peace, they are the annoyances that cannot be allowed to remain if peace is to prevail, so that an end soon to hostile feelings and demonstrations must be hoped for.

There must be enough people of goodwill in both countries to come to terms with Britain, but it the moment they are apparently swamped by fanaticism, which no doubt is being fed by the Soviet to keep the world pot boiling and to keep the Western powers fully occupied.


“If I sit silently, I have sinned”: A guiding principle
The untold story behind Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh's famous quote “If I sit silently, I have sinned”

Search MohammadMossadegh.com



Related links:

Sore Need For The First Team | Santa Cruz Sentinel-News, Oct. 18, 1951

Dr. Mossadeq’s Problems | The Queensland Times, Nov. 27, 1951

And Now Egypt | The Decatur Herald, October 11, 1951



MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”

Facebook  Twitter  YouTube  Tumblr   Instagram