Reagan Considers Sanctions to Shut Down Beirut Airport : Seeks to Get Release of 40 Hostages

President Reagan, ruling out “a violent rescue mission,” today considered slapping economic sanctions on Lebanon and closing the Beirut airport to step up the pressure on Shia Muslims holding 40 Americans hostage.

White House spokesman Larry Speakes indicated that a limited economic embargo and a shutdown of the airport--possibly in concert with U.S. allies--were among several recommendations Reagan received Monday from his top national security advisers.

There might also be attempts to pressure other countries to help that have influence with the hijackers, including Syria and Iran, Speakes said.

Reagan was expected to make the decisions today, although Speakes told reporters that they would not necessarily be made public immediately.

No Threat to Hostages

The spokesman said the options Reagan is considering in an attempt to end the crisis do not include any action that could threaten the lives of the hostages.

“We will do nothing to harm the hostages,” Speakes said. “We’ve talked about the hazards of a violent rescue mission. I don’t think we’re discussing ways to do that.

“We do reserve to ourselves (the right) to make certain decisions on matters which will bring greater pressure to bear on the situation there,” he said. “There are pressures that can be brought that don’t involve military actions.”

Speakes confirmed that cutting off “goods and services” to Lebanon and isolating Beirut International Airport are among the options Reagan is considering.

‘Other Means of Closing Airport’

Asked how the airport could be shut down without military action, he said without elaborating that “there are other means of closing down the airport.”

Only Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines currently flies into the airport, which was partly closed months ago because of persistent fighting in Beirut.

Congressional leaders from both parties were invited to the White House for a briefing today on the situation in Beirut by national security adviser Robert C. McFarlane.

Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.), the assistant Senate Democratic leader, said closing the airport, “the way they talked about it, would not be an act of war.”

No Help From Syrians

As for diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis, Speakes said that although Syrian President Hafez Assad “has expressed a wish to be helpful” in ending the hostage drama, “we’ve seen no apparent moves on the part of the Syrians--no tangible evidence that they’re actually being helpful.”

Speakes was unable to confirm reports that Amal Shia leader Nabih Berri, who said he has custody of most of the hostages, has traveled to Damascus to confer with Assad.

Reagan also received a set of recommendations today from Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Hanford Dole on how to deter and prevent future acts of air piracy.

Some of the Measures

With Dole expected to announce some or all of those steps Thursday at a meeting of aviation officials in Montreal, Speakes said the measures include:

--The expanded use of armed marshals on international routes.

--Assessment of security procedures at foreign airports.

--Improved security training for airport personnel.

--On-board “security coordinators” for high-risk flights.

--Stepped-up visual inspection of carry-on baggage.

--Development of more sophisticated equipment to detect explosives.