Leaving A Bad Impression
November 27, 1951 — The Queensland Times
November 27, 1951 — The Queensland Times
| The Mossadegh Project | August 3, 2017 |
Lead and sole editorial in The Queensland Times of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, about Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, Prime Minister of Iran.
• Australian media archive
DR. MOSSADEQ’S PROBLEMS
DR. Mossadeq, Premier of Persia, does not impress in his public appearances as a man of strength. He is strong only in one thing—his determination to keep British interests out of the petrol industry of his country. But his case is not sound, in view of the financial loss resulting from the pursuit of his purpose. Persia itself, as well as British interests, suffers from the serious dislocation that has taken place.Dr. Mossadeq’s attitude would be justified to some extent if the British people associated with the industry were interfering with the country’s politics, but that is not the case, for the Persian Government has full control of the country’s internal affairs. [AIOC definitely interfered in Iranian politics] That should not prevent continuance of business relations with foreign countries. If any nation insists that development of its industries must not be assisted by foreign capital and foreign technicians, its progress would be slow, for its Government would be very short sighted.
It must be admitted that the Persian Premier did not create a good impression on his return home after his visit to the United States and Egypt. Apparently he miscalculated the Americans’ attitude. The result has been disappointment for his people and their representatives in the Majlis. Had the Premier been able to present a report indicating American sympathy in the fight against Britain, undoubtedly that would have created a much more cordial atmosphere in the Parliament.
As it was, the overwhelming vote of confidence which the Majlis gave Dr. Mossadeq must have been rather half-hearted, for members, by that vote, apparently revoked the decision to postpone the general elections. Observers will be asking whether the endorsement of the Premier’s attitude is due to expediency rather than to hearty approval of the decisions of what is really a minority Government. It is difficult to believe that the elections will result in the endorsement of a purely negative policy.
Times undoubtedly will prove that the procedure in Persia is not for the good of the Persians. Britain has reconciled herself to doing without Persian oil and is taking steps to procure her requirements from other countries. Already an authority who has toured American oil plants has stated that the oil industry is doing a magnificent job in closing the production leeway caused by the losses at Abadan. The Persian Government wrongly estimated the position if it believed that Britain would be seriously embarrassed by the loss of supplies from Persia, but the Persian Government itself is embarrassed by the loss and its problem is to find a way to adjust the nation’s finances. In the process it is learning how serious can be the effect of cutting off revenue from one of its principal industries.
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Related links:
Britain Humiliated | The Advocate, October 5, 1951
Persia Is The Real Loser | The News (Adelaide), March 18, 1952
Mussadiq Digs In His Toes | The Sydney Morning Herald, December 29, 1951
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”
