August 11, 1952
Iranian Deputies Rebuff Mossadegh Over Martial Law
By ALBION ROSS
EHERAN, Iran, Aug. 10 -- Premier Mohammed Mossadegh presented to the Chamber of Deputies today, in his capacity as Minister of National Defense, a bill for the extension of the period of martial law in Iran and ran into a rebellion by Deputies from his own National Front. The chamber took no action on the measure.
Among those who objected was Shams Ghanatabai, one of the principal lieutenants of the powerful Islamic political mullah, Ayatollah Sayed Abolghassem Kashani, the newly elected president of the chamber.
When the bill was brought forward by Gen. Achmad Vossough, Deputy Minister of National Defense, he answered strong protests with this statement: "I must say this bill has been presented on the part of Dr. Mossadegh, Minister of National Defense."
If this was intended to calm the rising opposition in the National Front ranks, it did not. When the Deputy Minister added that the whole purpose of the bill was to maintain security and order, a National Front Deputy, Yusuf Moshar, told him: "That is a lie."
Minister of the Interior Hussein Sadeghi arose and told the protesting National Front Deputies: "Perhaps it is unnecessary to state that if we revoke martial law there are those who will resort to abuses."
Pleas by Aides in Vain
This allusion to the Tudeh Communists had no more effect than the previous efforts of the Mossadegh Ministers. This was the second rebellion in two days. Yesterday the Senate refused to approve on the third reading a bill calling for the grant of full dictatorial powers to Dr. Mossadegh for six months.
The press reported that Dr. Mossadegh told a delegation sent to him by the Senate last night that if the Full Powers Bill were not enacted he would resign.
The Chamber of Deputies followed the example of the Senate, and a five-man delegation of National Front Deputies, elected in a National Front caucus, went to see the Premier to express their objections to a further extension of martial law.
Dr. Mossadegh is understood to have told the delegation the extension of martial law for the present was necessary for carrying out his plans to maintain calm and that the Deputies should trust him. He is believed to have convinced the delegation of the necessity of working on other National Front Deputies to support the bill.
This is the first time that dissension within Dr. Mossadegh's National Front has come out into the open. It has been known for some days, however, that there is strain and stress within the ranks of the National Front and within the ranks of its partisans and sympathizers.
The moment of near anarchy that accompanied the overthrow of the brief premiership of Ahmad Ghavam last month, the outburst of feeling against the Army and the police and the short-lived but very active association of Nationalists and Communists in common cause during the riotous period have left their mark. It is reported that Dr. Mossadegh is prepared to abandon projects for cutting the Army in half and the armed forces' budget in half.
It is felt that as Minister of National Defense as well as Premier Dr. Mossadegh possibly found that a strong military force was a necessity in a country as near chaos as Iran. He also has shown no public signs of going along with agitation to turn out the United States military mission that is connected with the shipments of American military supplies, now arriving once more at Persian Gulf ports.
Elements within the National Front that tend toward outspoken animosity toward the court and that may conceivably have republican ideas are also obviously not enthusiastic about the seemingly increasingly cordial relations between the Premier and the Shah.
Dr. Mossadegh is understood to have made his own choice of Cabinet posts. Most of them are younger men who are not in politics. Favorite candidates of various National Frontists apparently did not receive consideration.
Dr. Mossadegh appears to be running into the problem that plagued every Premier who had to take responsibility and develop positive measures. The National Front and Parliament are normally devoted to demagoguery and opposition, and political life in Iran generally is a long lament and protest. As opposition leader for long years Dr. Mossadegh built up a great backlog of goodwill in this quarrelsome and protesting nation, but he is now asking for stability, calm accomplishment and work. That is not so popular.
The situation had exactly the opposite effect on United States policy here. It is known that Washington once again is being urged by its aides on the spot to give serious consideration to granting Dr. Mossadegh financial aid on a substantial scale.
The complete collapse of Ghavam apparently left Dr. Mossadegh the only force in the country capable of carrying on and keeping the country, out of the hands of the Communists. The economic and financial reports of various observers still indicate that Iran has resources in gold, foreign exchange, foodstuffs and goods to get along without foreign financial aid if the Government can develop the power to collect taxes, introduce order into the fiscal system as a whole and maintain administration.
Nevertheless, there is good reason to believe Washington has been urged to find some funds to help Dr. Mossadegh, and that London's representatives here may have suggested to the British Cabinet that Britain herself should do what she can to help him out financially. Both the United States and Britain have to avoid giving him the kiss of death, however, for it is as a representative of uncompromising nationalism and even xenophobia that he leads the Iranian nation.
Aide Leaves For U.S.
By THE UNTIED PRESS
Makki will be a guest of officials of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the United States. Dr. Mossadegh's Government has been trying to get World Bank help to rescue Iran from the economic chaos into which the oil dispute with Britain plunged the country.
Foreign Office sources disclosed that Allahyar Saleh, prominent National Front leader, would be appointed ambassador to the United States. Saleh is former chairman of the Mixed Oil Commission, set up to handle the industry after it was nationalized.