Every time the administration changes in Iran, Americans lose popularity. Thus, the third change seems comparable to the third out in baseball. But, Americans must remember the majority of Iranians have been taught to hate foreigners. Until some facts seep down to the peasant level, such a campaign is easy in such a country.

On first thought, there is an inclination to pull out of the place. That is exactly what the agitators desire. And, we have too much at stake in Iran to follow such a course. Regardless of the merits of the case built by Premier Mossadegh and the ex-premier, Qavam, we need to stand our ground. [Ahmad Ghavam]

For better or worse, Mossadegh has convinced the Iranian people that he has liberated them from the sinful and tyrannical economic domination of Britain. The short shrift accorded the one-time “strong man,” Qavam, was ample evidence that there will be no retreat along that road. For better or worse, Iranians are convinced that Britain was systematically defrauding them of their birthright, and that the United States was a party to the crime. That attitude is not the kind to be modified by any preachment from any world body, or any ruling by an international court. It is immune to the force of logic.

Witness the near-unanimity (68-0, with one abstention) with which the parliament approved Mossadegh’s bravely worded but totally unrealistic economic program. The program includes the scheduled reopening of Iran’s oil production (with what skilled manpower, and for what remote markets is not specified); new public works projects to give work to unemployed (to be financed with what funds is not indicated), and creating work and improving the monetary and banking laws—to apply to nobody-knows-what transactions. The Iranian government is flat broke. Actual hunger is said to be increasing alarmingly among the people. The people have followed Mossadegh to economic ruin. But they apparently followed their honest convictions; the hypocrisy and the deception were Mossadegh’s.

For urgent political no less than basic humanitarian reasons the United States should hold its pride in check and stand ready to provide its good offices and its economic help as they are needed, and as they can be applied for the good of Iran and its people. If Iran should go on through the ordeal of total economic collapse and land in the arms of the waiting Communist Tudeh party it would be pointless to say it served them right. The parallel question is how it would serve us; the answer is—badly, indeed. For, oil is what both Russia and the West need to fuel their military machines, and if Russia had control of Iran she would deny that oil to the West, and sooner or later find a way to ship or pipe the oil home.

Communists have a set formula for operating in countries such as Iran. First they foment trouble. Then they try to force foreigners out. Once they succeed on that they close all doors and entry by Christian people is very difficult. That apparently is what the Reds are trying to do in Iran. We need to remain alert to the next chance to gain better control of certain phases of the oil business in Iran.