Lingering doubts about the ability of Iran’s Premier Mossadegh to bend an impoverished country to his will can now be forgotten. What ever his physical weakness, Iran’s histrionic leader has political power in abundance. Last-week the people made him a virtual dictator by approving his move to dissolve Iran’s only organ of popular government, the Majlis, by a vote that ran just short of unanimity in both the capital and the provinces. The vote made away not only with the one remaining balance wheel in Iranian politics but also struck down Mossadegh’s political opponent, the Moslem leader Ayatullah Kasahni. [Ayatollah Kashani]

A disturbing sequel to these events took place over the week end. After a last feeble attempt to stage a palace revolt which was aimed at challenging the solitary dominance of Mossadegh, the Shah of Iran departed the country. He had threatened to do this some months before but popular feeling, it was said, persuaded him to stay. This time there appears to have been nothing voluntary about his departure. If some would have counseled him to remain doubtless they were too fearful to say so. So the Shah, the titular sovereign of Iran, is gone and with him whatever prestige has attached to Iran’s ruling dynasty.

These are ominous signs. To achieve his virtual dictatorship Mossadegh has trampled not only on Iran’s political institutions but has also accepted support from the outlawed Tudeh, the Iranian Communist party. [How so?] Consolidation of such powers in Mossadegh’s hands is going to make him intractable than ever in dealings with the West. Whether he will be more tractable with Russia remains to be seen.