As the management of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company planned to close down the seventh of the ten distillation units at the world-famous Abadan refinery in Iran, the Iranians proudly announced plans for a new embassy in Washington.

With the golden flow of oil cut to a trickle, and the Iranians refusing to take over oil production responsibilities, even where the British have requested them to do so, we can’t help wondering how they expect to pay for the “modernized interpretation of Iranian architecture” that two American architects have promised the capital.

The British believe the Iranian indifference toward assuming the new responsibilities they have forced on themselves is due to their complete lack of know-how. But it may only be because the Russian technicians haven’t arrived yet!