If Great Britain thought to frighten Iran by appealing to the Security Council of the United Nations to condemn Iran before all the world, it can think again. Instead of scaring Iran into submission, the British move joined Iranians in a solid patriotic front.

In Tehran, 14 opposition deputies lifted their three-week boycott that had prevented a quorum in the lower house of the Iranian Parliament and announced their support of Premier Mossadegh. Iranians can be patriotic almost to a point of fanaticism, and this almost unprecedented move demonstrates that faith. Galvanized into action by the British appeal to the U.N. the Iranian government has laid aside its family quarrelling to show the world Iranian national unity must be preserved whenever a dispute with a foreign country arises.

In Britain, there are doubts over the matter of taking the issue to the U.N. without getting some idea of the attitudes of Security Council members. There is a definite question over whether Britain can muster the seven votes necessary to force the Council to act on Iran.

Moreover, the United States is not yet ready to support the strongly worded British appeal. The resolution begs for United States help in arguing with Iran, and our delegates currently, are of the opinion that their position should be that of a neutral. The British, then, carry these doubts to the U.N. Council session — as well as astonishment over the unusual manner in which Iran reacted to their challenge. Instead of frightening the Iranians, Britain’s action has united them into a hard core of resistance.