Progress in Pink Pajamas?

Everywhere Averell Harriman went last week, he was sure to be accompanied by hard-eyed Manoochehr Moayeri, one of the snappiest dressers on the Teheran police force, and shaven-polled Mohammed Baseri, who always cuddles a revolver under his coat. Whenever Special Envoy Harriman's black Cadillac swept out of Saheb Gharanieh Palace (his sumptuous home-away-from-home near Teheran), a motorcycle escort and three jeep-loads of cops headed by Moayeri and Baseri warily led the way. The Iranian government was mortally afraid that Tudeh (Communist) party terrorists or other extremists might try to do harm to President Truman's emissary--especially if his mission to mediate the oil dispute miraculously showed signs of success.

Tired, with deep circles under his eyes, Harriman drove himself and his aides hard, moving swiftly from Prime Minister to Shah to Parliament to Oil Commission to the British and back again. In their second of three talks, Premier Mohamed Mossadeq received Harriman in bed wearing light pink pajamas. He was reported impressed by the American's straightforward, sincere attitude.

Harriman's main job last week: to dispel Iranian illusions that the country could run the Abadan refinery alone or that it would get U.S. technical help. So far, when confronted with such arguments Iranian politicians have merely smirked: "Something will be arranged." Harriman and his special adviser, German-born Walter Levy, a professional oil consultant, let go with a barrage of facts & figures to show the Iranian Oil Commission that they were wrong. Harriman talked tough, told the Iranians flatly that U.S. and British oil companies would boycott them, that the West could get along more easily without Iranian oil than Iran could without oil revenues.

While swinging the stick with one hand, Harriman held out the carrot of U.S. economic aid with the other. "I am more impressed than ever," said he, "with the great opportunities that exist for expansion...and improvement of the health and general welfare of the people." This week there was some hope that the Iranian donkey might budge.

After a four-hour huddle with the Oil Commission, the Iranian cabinet announced that a "formula" had been reached for reopening talks with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co.

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