Evening star., 1951-11-11
The Ironions' Story
By L. Edgar Primo

By L. Ed
Iranian Prime Minister Mossa-
degh's No. / spokesman says that,
come what may, Iran won't call ON
Russia for help If the British-Iranian
Oil dispute breaks out into q clash
of arms.
But-warns DR.. Mozaffar Bagai-if
the oil trouble comes to the fight
ing stage, the Soviet Union prob
ably can be expected to invoke
clause in a 30-year-old treaty as a
pretext to invade the northern prov
inces of Iran.
Premier Mossadegh, accompanied
by DR.. Bagai and delegation Of
political and technical experts. has
been in the United States for more
than a month, conferring with State
Department officials who are trying
to frame q new proposal on the
Anglo Iranian oil controversy which
will be acceptable to both sides.
If this proposal fails, the Iranian
government plans to execute its new
oil naturalization law despite enor-
NOUS difficulties and likelihood of
even greater economic hardships
than those now gripping this nation
of Is million persons.
DIR. Bagai, speaking for the Prime
Minister, said Iran believed only the
moral suasion Of the United States
could save the situation and the
relative peace of Asia.
Authoritative Spokesman
The 7l-year- Prime Minister.
while denying interviews to reporters
because of his recent illness, assured
The Star that DR.. Bagai could speak
authoritatively for him. Then he
added with smile:
Iran and the United States have
one great thing in common. You
won your independence from Britain
ITS years ago. Now, we have come
to learn from you how to deal with
the British
DR.. Bagai, who Is o professor Of
ethics and esthetics at Teheran Uni
versity, and the parliamentary leader
of DR.. Mossadegh's party. added that
his government hoped that after
British domination and interfer-
ence" in his country was ended that
the traditional friendship Of the
Iranian and British peoples could
be deepened.
Ironion View
There are two main bases for the
naturalization of the Iranian oil
industry. In brief, here is DR.. Bagai's
explanation, the Iranian viewpoint:
First, and the more important. is
the political aspect. Naturalization
will end foreign domination and es-
tablish the true sovereignty of Iran.
Pressures from any quarter. particu-
larly from the U. S. s. r., may then
be rejected fatty.
Secondly. there is the economic
aspect. British power in Iran. ex-
erted through so years by the Anglo
Iranian Oil Co., has kept the nation
impoverished and illiterate. Iranian
officials have been corrupted. their
policies guided and Trans treasury
Shortchanged.
With increased revenues expected
from naturalization, DR.. Mossadegh
hopes to halt government deficits
(now running at rate Of $50 mil
lion a year,, raise salaries Of civil
servants, extend educational facili-
ties, build more housing and modern
ize industry and agriculture.
If this Is not done." DR.. Bagai
declared, communism will take over
Iran without any pressure or help
from the outside"
Youth Studies Abroad
There are five or six hundred young
Iranians abroad now, studying va
rious parts Of the oil industry. The
Mossadegh government plans to &C
celerate and increase this educational
plan, and, combined with the techni-
cal school at Teheran University
and the school still functioning at
the AIOC. this would mean enough
skilled Iranian personnel to handle
naturalization.
But while skilled labor is a prob
lem. q tougher nut Is that Of trans
port and marketing. The big ques-
ton is how to peddle the black gold?
Iran has no ocean-going tankers and
virtually all Its oil is exported.
Asked whether Iran will buy or
charter tankers, DR.. Bagai said there
are no present plans along this line,
but that events may bring it about
II no satisfactory alternate solution
can be found.
DR.. Bagai told The Star he felt the
American people had been subjected
to q one-sided British) account, on
the whole, of the situation in Iran.
Fiction VS.. 'Facf
He cited the following fiction"
which he called British propaganda
and then gave what he called ''fact"
in the particular case:
Fiction: The Anglo-Iranian Oil Co.
has built fine roads, hospitals, schools
and homes throughout its 100000
acre holdings, the most modern de-
velopments in Iran.
Fact: The vast number Of the
10000 AIOC workers live in novels,
get inadequate pay. are under
fed and underclothed. The COM
pany, for deceptive propaganda pur-
poses. started thinking of the well
fare of some of its Iranian workers
after World War II when the de-
mands of nationalism and better
deal began taking hold in Iran and
other parts OF Asia. Since 1916 it
has built some housing, hospitals and