Gift Horse

Seldom have the Russians--Czarist or Communist--given their Persian neighbors anything but trouble. In the past half-century, they have invaded the country six times, looted its Caspian caviar and its Treasury. Only the collective wrath of the infant U.N. made the Russians desist from setting up a little soviet in Azerbaijan province right after World War II. A year ago, in the last days of Mossadegh, the Communist Tudeh Party almost took over Iran. After all this, to Teheran's amazement and consternation, Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Lavrentiev last month promised a "great Russian favor": the return of 300 Iranians detained in Russia.

Accustomed to looking Soviet gifts in the mouth, Iran recalled the last time such a favor was extended. In 1938 and '39, the Reds sent back some 4,500 Iranians living in Russia; most of them turned out to be well-trained spies and Communist agitators. The new crop of Iranians will be turned over at the rate of 40 a week, each to give up all his Russian clothes and belongings at the border and, in new clothes provided by the Iranians, to be sent to a screening camp near Meshed, where their mental baggage will be inspected.

The Soviets also promised to return the eleven tons of gold they have owed the National Bank of Iran since World War II. With cynicism born of long experience, Teheran sat back, waited for the gift horse to bite.

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