Mohammed Mossadegh, who as premier of Iran made decisions of world importance, now lies in his Teheran prison cell awaiting trial. The pomp and circumstances which surrounded him a few short months ago have disappeared. He’s a political prisoner, with his life in the balance.

Mossadegh’s efforts to inflame the people of Iran against Britain’s oil operations brought nothing but trouble—to the outside world as well as to the ancient land that was Persia. And, in the end, they brought only trouble to the man who instigated them. He was in a position to make a real contribution to peace and security. He chose to gamble for personal stakes.

The once mighty Mohammed has fallen far. It is difficult, here under the protection of the democratic concept, to picture the political instability behind such a set of circumstances. But the sick premier knew the fire with which he was playing for—he’d played with it all his life. He’d done more—for he was the one who added the fuel which, in the end, consumed him.