Iraqi Jets Force Kuwait Envoy to Land in Russia

Iraqi jets intercepted a plane carrying a special envoy of the emir of Kuwait over Iran today, forcing it to divert and land in the Soviet Union, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

The plane was flying from Damascus to Tehran, carrying former Kuwaiti Oil Minister Abdul Rahman Salem Atiqi.

“The plane was trailed by Iraqi planes over northwestern Iran, forcing it to change route and enter southern Soviet airspace,” IRNA said.

Kuwait Radio said the plane landed at Yerevan, in Soviet Armenia.

Chased by Fighters

IRNA said the intruding Iraqi planes were chased out of Iranian airspace by Iranian fighters.

Atiqi, 58, was carrying an invitation to Iranian President Ali Khamenei to attend an Islamic summit in Kuwait in January.

The Kuwait News Agency had reported earlier that Atiqi was on a four-nation Middle East tour.

He had previously been to Jordan, Iraq and Syria to extend invitations to the summit from the emir, Sheik Jabbar al Ahmed al Sabah.

Missiles Fired

Kuwait last Saturday night fired two missiles at an aerial intruder, described by local newspapers as an “enemy plane.”

Kuwaiti officials said the intruder could not be identified. Iranian officials hinted it was an Iraqi warplane.

IRNA said Iraqi planes had several times threatened civilian flights near the Iranian border.

Iraq, fighting a 6-year-old war with Iran, has declared Iranian airspace a “forbidden zone” and frequently warned neutral aircraft to steer clear.

In 1981, Algerian Foreign Minister Mohammed ben Yahta and his aides were killed when their plane was shot down, apparently by an Iraqi fighter, near the Iranian border with Turkey.