“THERE IS NO-GAMBLING like politics,” said Benjamin Disraeli. [Former British Prime Minister] And if anybody wants testimony as to the truth of his observation, let him turn to the Iranian diplomats in Baghdad and in Rome — the ex-diplomats, we mean.

When the Shah seemed definitely out and on his way into exile, the Persian striped-pants boys were 100 per cent Mossadegh men. They would not give the refugee from the peacock throne a glass of cold water, hardly even a cold greeting. But champagne corks were popping all over the Roman runways — even though you could hardly hear them for the cheering — when the statesmen found out that the Shah had a round-trip ticket after all. His ever loyal and always faithful servants in Baghdad also had the red carpet out but, alas, His Majesty did not like that shade of red.

Ah, the gambler’s life is always hard. First you roll a seven, and the next time it’s an eleven. You congratulate yourself on spotting a trend and getting on the bandwagon ahead of the band, and then somebody tells you that this is not the wagon they are using in today’s parade. The former Persian plenipotentiaries certainly can tell the world how dangerous it is to be only half-safe. But instead of buying soap, they are reading up on Talleyrand. How did the old boy manage always to come up on the right side and in favor?

[French statesman Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), known for his political survival skills]