Premier Mossadegh’s decree limiting members of foreign missions to one term in Iran seems an unnecessarily provocative piece of business. His country could always reject any diplomat or member of mission as persona non grata, and no such decree as he has issued would be needed to do it. What, then, is the useful purpose of this sweeping gesture?

Apparently it serves no purpose more useful than that of giving vent to the Premier’s annoyance at persons from other countries whose criticism he has found irritating. Unfortunately this response also may very well be irritating to many of these persons, and the situation in Iran at the moment calls for anything but irritants.

A little more diplomatic diplomacy on both sides might prove well worth the forbearance.