The fall of King Farouk of Egypt can hardly fail to bring repercussions in Persia, where the nationalist front on the oil dispute has given play to nominally illegal elements whose aims are more revolutionary than nationalistic. Anti-palace feeling was a hidden factor at the early stages of Egypt’s political convulsion, but in Persia relationships between the Prime Minister (Dr. Mossadeq) and the Shah and his family have been at breaking point almost throughout the oil negotiations. No care seems to have been taken to conceal the fact. Dr. Mossadeq has found it expedient up to this stage to concentrate his criticism against the Queen Mother and the Shah’s sister, whose banishment he demanded last year when he suspected Palace influence was behind his opponents in the Majlis. [Ashraf Pahlavi] Since then the Prime Minister’s prestige has been enhanced by electoral successes, the International Court’s upholding of his view on its jurisdiction, and the failure of the Shah’s nominee (Dr. Ghavam Sultaneh) to survive in the premiership after Dr. Mossadeq’s tactical resignation. [Ahmad Ghavam] If he has scores to settle with the Shah, the present may be his opportunity.

In the absence of a defined link between Dr. Mossadeq and the Communist Tudeh Party, it is not possible to say how deeply he is committed to them or if he condones their pro-Soviet aims. But there is no mistaking his reliance on Tudeh violence to discourage rivals for Persia’s leadership and to keep at fever heat the emotional basis for the oil dispute. The stage may be reached at which Dr. Mossadeq’s use of the Tudeh will change into their use of him.