Evening star., 1950-12-26

may be occasioned by other symp-
toms of momentary deteriora-
ton in American-Iranian rela-
tions.
The Importance of Iran to the
Western position needs little am
pliflcation. Iran, with a 1900
mile frontier on the Soviet Union,
is one of three Middle East states
that have not become Soviet satel-
lites, the others being Turkey and
Afghanistan. 1t furnishes the oil
vital to the British navy and in
dustrial Europe and its position is
critical to the whole Middle East.
Obvious Red Objective.
In case of a move against Eu-
rope and/or the Middle East, an
obvious Russian objective would
be to shut off the supply Of IRAN
ian oil. Turkey. Iran, and At
ghanistan represent a single de-
fense line which would seem to
demand a commonly planned
policy. The Iranians are. there
fore. mystified by why so much
economic and military aid should
have been poured into Turkey
and Greece and practically none
into Iran.
A recent interview given Reu-
ters by the Shah in which he sup
ported criticism of America in
the Teheran press has probably
disgruntled Washington, especial
ly in the present state Of nervous
tension. The questions he raised
were, in fact, raised with me In
an hour and half audience I had
with him December 6.
The Shah's tone was not at all
aggressive. On the contrary, he
reiterated his strong pro-Ameri-
can sentiments, and expressed
sympathetic appreciation of Amer
ica's financial burdens, great ef-
forts, and the unanticipated drain
and strain caused by complica-
tions in Korea. Nevertheless, he
is aware of and shares the gen.
eral disappointment of Iran over
being treated, as it seems to an
Iranian, somewhat as stepchild.
This is the more so because Iran
is the only country asking aid who
employed American technicians,
at cost to the Iranian govern
ment of $3,000,000 in salaries. to
investigate potentialities and rec
ommend projects. Iran also has
paid its full share of $25, 1000, 900
to the international bank. Pro-
American leaders here as else
where find it necessary to justify
their political ordinations to the
public.
Trans economic difficulties,
apart from the underdeveloped
condition of the country, are due
to the same causes as Turkeys
the loss of its former Russian and
German markets, with heavy re-
ultant unemployment especially
in the north.
Russian Trade Pact.
Recently acting on a basic but
dormant treaty of 1910. Russia
offered and had accepted a trade
agreement to barter Iranian sur
pluses of rice, cotton, wool, and
hides in exchange for Russian
sugar, cement, paper. glass, tex
tiles, and machinery. The treaty
permits Russia to transact di-
rectly with Iranian merchants and
thus offers possible means of
peaceful penetration. Russia is
thus copying, for the first time,
Western trade tactics to fortify her
position.
What irritates Americans is the
tendency to adopt an illusory po-
sition of semi-neutrality, and play
one power against another. My
impression from talking with the
most important cabinet ministers
and numerous deputies is that
they know it is illusory. But they
are as anxious as Mr.. Nehru not
to provoke Russia unnecessarily
Balancing one power against an
other is an ingra1ned Persian habit
which has paid dividends in the
past, as witnessed by the fact that
Iran has not been conquered in
hundreds of years, and. inciden-
tally, never by the West. The
country several times has been
temporarily invaded, most re-
Gently by the Allies in the last
war. Iran then co-operated and
became, ironically enough. the
main Lease-Lend route between
the United States of America and
the U. S. S. R.
The most immediate prospect
of aid is a $25 million loan from