Iran sanctions likely to fail — Waldheim

Press, 8 January 1980, Page 6

Iran sanctions likely to fail — Waldheim

NZPA-Reuter • Washington

The United Nations Secre-tary-General (Dr Kurt Waldheim) has told President Jimmy Carter that he doubts whether economic sanctions against Iran would induce that country to free the American hostages in Teheran, the President’s chief spokesman has said. But Mr Carter nonetheless wants the United Nations Security Council to implement the sanctions without delay, Mr Carter’s press secretary, Mr Jody Powell, has told reporters. Dr Waldheim in a .twohour meeting briefed President Carter at the White House, reporting on his twoday visit to Teheran.

Also attending the meeting were the United States Secretary of. State (Mr Cyrus Vance), the National Security Adviser (Mr Zbigniew Brzezinsky) and other senior officials.

Mr Powell made it clear that Dr Waldheim had not advised President Carter to give up his bid for sanctions, but instead had simply raised questions about whether sanctions would be effective. ■

Under- a resolution approved on December 31, the Security Council would move towards the imposition of sanctions against Iran if the 50 American hostages were not released by today.

“The United Nations should go forward and do what it said ... it would,” Mr Powell said.

Mr Carter, according to Mr Powell, expressed his gratitu.de for Dr Waldheim’s efforts on the captives’ behalf, but also made known his disappointment that the Secretary-General had not been allowed either to visit the hostages or to meet the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny.

The meeting 'with Dr Waldheim took place after the President returned by helicopter from thp Camp David Presidential retreat, where he had spent the week-end. Dr Waldheim was scheduled to report to 'the Security Council on the trip. After hearing the report, the Council was scheduled to take up the sanctions issue, but Mr Powell, said the timing was uncertain because of the United Nations' debate on Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. United Nations observers suggested the Council would do no more than adopt an agenda concerning Iran, and that work on the actual sanctions resolution would not begin until later in the week.. ' Before he left New York, Dr Waldheim explained why he believes economic sanctions against Iran would not work. . “They'- (Iranian officials) said that would not do harm

to them ... They would get what they need from' other quarters,” Dr Waldheim said. He added he did not think Enactions would change'. the Iranian attitude towards the (hostage) problem.

The United States chief delegate to the United Nations,. Mr Donald McHenry. ’ who also attended the White ' House meeting, has predicted that sanctions will be approved. Dr Waldheim visited Iran from Wednesday to Saturday of last week in an attempt ■to win the release of Americans held hostage by Islamic militants since November 4. In Iran, three people were shot and wounded in clashes yesterday in the Gulf port of Bandar Lengueh, the scene of bloody fighting on Sum day’ between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims.

Ayatollah Khomeiny’s representative in the nearby port of Bandar Abbas has told NZPA-Reuter by telephone that the clashes died down later, and the town was quiet. In Teheran, about 40 Afghan theological students and workers occupied their country’s embassy for about four hours in protest against the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. They locked up 13 people, and sifted through files, but left peacefully after talks with an Iranian ' Foreign Ministry official.