Evening star., 1952-12-22
Ironiun ReckIessness

Another good measure of why it is difficult
to negotiate reasonably with the present Irania6
government can be found in the parliamentary
speech delivered the other day by HusSein Makki.
He occupies very high and very influential
position as a close confidant of Premier Mos
Sadegh and as secretary general of the dominant
National Front Party. Unfortunately, however
his sense of responsibility seems to fall far short
of his place of power.
Thus, as DR.. MosSadegh's spokesman, Mr.
Makki has seen fit to blame the United States
Government-and particularly Secretary Ache
son-for most of Trans current woes. Further,
he has gone out of his way to suggest that the
people of his country have reason to suspect
that the incoming Eisenhower administration
will be pretty much the same as the Truman
administration in that it will continue to con-
spire with Britain (there has been no such con-
spring, of course) against the interests of the
Iranians.
In the course of setting forth this absurd
and reckless viewpoint Mr. Makki, referring to
the results of our presidential election, has re-
vealed the true nature of his craftsmanship with
the following words: Damn the oil which
jeopardizes our independence! What we want
from Democrats or Republicans is only that they
should not cooperate with British policy" That
is to say the United States-regardleSS of the
legal or moral merits of the case-should, in
effect support DR.. Mossadeghs uncompromising
position and highly capricious methods in his
dispute with London over the naturalization OF
the great Anglo-Iranian company
This dispute could have been settled long
ago if the Teheran government had been willing
to negotiate on reasonable and common-sense
basis. But there has been no such Willingness.
On the contrary with a StubbornneSs that has
seemed to be less than rational DR.. Mossadegh
has succeeded only in depriving Iran of its chief
source of revenue. AS result, with producing
and refining facilities shut down and with it's
international oil markets cut off, the country has
been moving steadily downhill toward state OF
complete bankruptcy and the economic and
social consequences-directly traceable to the
emotional intransgence of the Iranian authori-
ties themselves-are growing increasingly painful.
In the circumstances, since people like him.
self are primarily responsible for frustrating all
efforts made thus far to end the controversy, it
ill becomes Mr.. Makki to put the onus on Mr..
Acheson and our Government for Trans hard
times Such an assessment of the situation Is
an afront to the intelligence of anybody familiar
with what has happened. More than that,
especially in view of earnest and continuing
American attempts to promote just settlement,
the Makki line of attack is an improperly that
does violence to the rules of friendly inter-
national relations.
Perhaps this sort of thing is regarded as
sound craftsmanship by the National Frontiers
in Teheran But neither the Mossadegh govern
ment nor the Iranian people can profit from it.
It's effect is simply to increase the difficulty of
trying to end the dispute in way that will be
satisfactory to all parties concerned 1t is a
course helpful only to the men of the Kremlin;
unless reversed 1t is likely to do the grayeSt
kind of damage to Iran and the free world.