Iran takes raid precautions

Press, 5 March 1988, Page 10

Iran takes raid precautions

NZPA-Reuter Nicosia The Iranian capital may convert its unfinished underground railway into overnight air-raid shelters as Iraq and Iran continue to fire missiles at each other's cities. Teheran Radio said. It said officials were considering putting in running water and toilets in six "kilometres of tunnels so far excavated in the capital. Iraq has fired 25 missiles at Teheran and three at the holy city of Qom since Monday, but the Iraqi attacks slowed down

yesterday, leading to speculation .that the war of the cities may be coming to an! end. Iran reported II roc<et strikes against Bagdad. The Iranians launched three missiles at Bagcad yesterday and Iraq slid the third 1 strike killed or injured several people. Iran in turn reported 15 killed and 80 injured by an Iraqi air strike on the southern! city of Shi’az. Teheran Radio, monitored in Nicosia, said sevt ral Iraqi missiles hit Qom and Teheran' one injuring 20 hospital I patients in | the

capital. Teheran says Iraqi air and missile strikes have killed at least 70 people and injured 180 since the latest round in the war of the cities flared last Saturday with an air raid on the Iranian capital. Bagdad has given no exact casualty figures.

Swissair and Austrian Airlines cancelled flights to both cities this week.

A foreign resident in Teheran, contacted by telephone, said many Iranians and foreigners had left for nearby towns and resorts but there was

no large-scale move by! expatriates! to quit the. country. Bagdad, [was also re-) ported calm on Thursday with residents gathering around radios to hear announcements about the missile attacks. 1

Military I experts said both sides were ‘ using modified versions of the Soviet Scud-B missile. A senior Soviet spokesman denied that Moscow had supplied missiles !to either side to attack cities and said the Kremlin sought an end to. the 7i/ 2 -year Gulf war. . ___L