Mossadegh Faulted for “Considerable Arrogance”
October 18, 1952 — The Brooklyn Eagle

The Mossadegh Project | November 10, 2012    


This flawed, highly prejudiced diatribe was the lead editorial in The Brooklyn Eagle (aka The Brooklyn Daily Eagle) on Saturday, October 18, 1952.



Mossadegh's Break With Britain
Can Lead Only to Disaster


Premier Mohammed Mossadegh’s decision to sever diplomatic relations between Iran and Great Britain is a fateful step on a road which may lead to his country’s ruin. He has created a situation which must become progressively worse until it ends in disaster.

Premier Mossadegh has overplayed his hand. He has overestimated the strength of his own position and failed to appraise adequately the determination of the British to resist his tactics of pressure and intimidation. Britain desires and needs a settlement of the oil dispute with Iran, but not on the terms laid down with considerable arrogance by Dr. Mossadegh.

Submission of the petroleum seizure to the World Court, as proposed by Great Britain, would have held the assurance of an equitable disposition of the controversy. But this is not what the Iranian Premier desires. He was afraid of arbitration by a neutral tribunal and, accordingly, placed a prohibitive price on his acceptance of the proposal.

Not only did he demand payment of $137,200,000 involved in disputed oil royalties but he insisted also that the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company forego all claims to compensation for the unexpired portion of the 60-year concession.

The angry and justified denunciation of Premier Mossadegh by the British Foreign Office has been followed by Teheran’s decision to end relations.

At the beginning of this controversy, Dr. Mossadegh, a wily politician, was influenced by the rising tide of nationalism prevalent in his own country and throughout the Near East. Nationalization of the oil industry and confiscation of British property were attended by the acclaim of the people.

The consequences have been distressing, as an impoverished people have been plunged deeper into misery by the loss of a major source of revenue. And the future is not made brighter for Iran or for Mossadegh as the Communist Tudeh party waits patiently for word from Moscow to swing into action and take over the Iranian capital.

Premier Mossadegh has played a daring and dangerous game, one which may win for him the dubious distinction of serving as the principal author of his nation's destruction and enslavement.



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Related links:

Iran’s Break With Britain | The Binghamton Press, October 18, 1952

Intent On Evicting West, Iran Virtually Asks Russia In | Buffalo Courier-Express, 7/31/52

Mossadegh’s Reckless Game Rules Him Out | The Brooklyn Eagle, March 2, 1953



MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”

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