Pillar of the Soviet

As a good Moslem, austere, 73-year-old Ahmad Gavam Saltaneh ("Pillar of the Kingdom") forever fingers his tasbi (beads) to ascertain whether or not the fates will be kind to him. As a large landowner in Russian-occupied Azerbaijan, he knows one way they might not. Last week, as Iran's new Premier, he felt reasonably sure that kismet was on the side of his 52-51 Majlis majority.

Gavam moved fast. He ordered Iran's UNO delegate to negotiate the Azerbaijan dispute with Russia, off the floor. In Teheran he announced: "I intend also to open direct negotiations with the Soviet Government."

Russia responded warmly. The Red Army returned Iranian railroads in the Russian-occupied north to Iranian control. Generalissimo Joseph Stalin himself telegraphed his gratitude for Gavam's "friendly attitude." Moscow agreed to receive an Iranian delegation to talk things over. Teheran buzzed with talk that Russia would soon get the northern oil concession it has been seeking since 1944.

At week's end, with the political simoon subsiding swiftly, Landlord Gavam turned to choosing his Cabinet and preparing to call on Neighbor Stalin.

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