Ex-Shah men assisting Iraq, says U.S. official

Press, 24 September 1980, Page 8

Ex-Shah men assisting Iraq, says U.S. official

NZPA ' Washington Certain backers of the late Shah of Iran are at present in Iraq, where they have been advising Bagdad in its armed. conflict with Iran, a high-ranking American State Department official has said. The United States official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the people concerned were Iranians in exile and former counsellors of the Shah who

had escaped execution after the fall of the former regime. In the; opinion of this official, the primary goal of the Iraqis is to rectify the border between the two countries, which falls at the edge of the rich Iranian oilfields, and not to take control of important Iranian cities. The two armies are of about equal strength, he said, but the Iranian Army was demoralised and disorganised for many reasons,

including the lack of spare parts for its military equipment owing to the United States blockade.

During the failed attempt to free the United States hostages in Teheran last April, it was generally acknowledged that the raid plan included the co-oper-ation of elements in Iran opposed to the Islamic regime of Ayatollah Khomeiny. .

Observers said that these same circles may be providing support for Iraq,