Took Part in 2 ‘Full-Scale’ Iran Briefings, Shultz Says

Secretary of State George P. Shultz said today he took part in only two “full-scale” discussions on the secret U.S.-Iranian initiative last winter but maintained his assertions that he was not involved in the operation.

In speaking to reporters on his plane en route to Canada for talks with External Affairs Minister Joe Clark, Shultz refused to get into a detailed discussion of the Iranian affair.

He would not respond directly to former national security adviser Robert C. McFarlane’s statement Thursday that the secretary was briefed “repeatedly and often” about the Iranian policy.

Shultz said, however, “there were discussions and I participated in two of them that were full-scale discussions.”

His spokesman, Charles E. Redman, said afterward the two meetings took place at the White House last Dec. 6 and Jan. 7. On Jan. 17, Reagan signed an order permitting the military equipment sales to Iran.

Shultz repeatedly answered questions about the episode and his role in it by saying that he would have no comment while congressional hearings were under way on the situation.

But he did say a Los Angeles Times story that said he had urged the firing of current national security adviser John M. Poindexter was “not true.” (Story, Page 20.)

Shultz said he would be willing to testify to Congress, many of whose members have charged the Administration circumvented a requirement that they keep them informed of secret activities in a timely fashion.

Shultz also continued an effort to distance himself from the policy of sending arms to Iran by identifying those testifying before Congress today as “the most knowledgeable” about the affair.

Shultz said he had sent Michael Armacost, undersecretary of State for political affairs, to listen to the testimony as an observer.

Shultz has said in recent days that his knowledge of the Iranian operation was sporadic.