The Western Lineup
September 5, 1951 — U.S. Editorial
September 5, 1951 — U.S. Editorial
| The Mossadegh Project | February 1, 2021 |
A vintage Cold War editorial on U.S. diplomacy in Iran at a critical juncture.
United States To Rescue
Nothing seems to convince the Iranian government that the United States will let Iran collapse and fall into the Russian orbit. Put that way, it doesn’t seem possible that the United States will.This explains the intransigence of Premier Mossadegh in dealing with the British, and even with President Truman’s personal envoy, W. Averell Harriman.
Iran has nationalized its oil. She cannot agree with the British, who have developed the oil wells, the refineries and the pipelines and docks for carrying it away, on the terms of the expropriation, or on future operating conditions.
Harriman has reiterated the American position, that it has promised the British to keep out, and will not operate the oil fields. Mossadegh just smiles his deprecating smile, as if to say, “If it comes to a choice between seeing us invite the Russians in, or letting the Americans come, you’ll come.”
Apparently, nothing the British or Americans can save will shake Mossadegh’s confidence that the Americans will bail him out; and the truth is, it would be hard for Washington not to do so if thereby it kept Iran in the Western lineup.
Newspapers that published this editorial included:
The Gladewater Daily Mirror (Gladewater, Texas) — September 5, 1951
The Blizzard (Oil City, Pennsylvania) — September 5, 1951 (title: U.S. TO RESCUE, lead editorial)
Search MohammadMossadegh.com
Related links:
Meeting With Dr. Mossadegh at New York Hospital (Oct. 11, 1951)
“Iran Problem” Now Is To Keep Her On Our Side | Bruce Biossat, Oct. 9, 1951
Editors Foresee Iranian-British Oil Agreement | Sept. 1, 1951
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”
