U.S. Weapons Supplies Smaller Than Reported, Iranian Says

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament said in remarks published Monday that the quantity of arms that the United States supplied his government was smaller than has been reported in Washington.

Hashemi Rafsanjani, who three weeks ago was the first official to disclose the American overtures to Tehran, also accused the U.S. and French governments of “bullying” Iran by freezing its assets and said his country will have relations with major powers only if they cease their “blackmailing.”

In remarks that the Islamic Republic newspaper said Rafsanjani made to Defense Ministry officials, the powerful politician-cleric was quoted as saying that Iran received no Hawk anti-aircraft missiles and fewer TOW anti-tank missiles than U.S. officials have said.

‘Talking Nonsense’

“Two thousand, or even 200, TOW missiles--these figures are of course not correct,” Rafsanjani was quoted as saying. “They are talking nonsense. There have been no Hawk missiles involved at all.”

Rep. Jim Wright of Texas, Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, said last week that he had been told by the White House that 2,008 TOW missiles and parts for 235 Hawk anti-aircraft batteries have been supplied to Iran.

Wright said Iran paid $12 million for the shipment.

Rafsanjani disputed the figure, saying, “See how ignorant a person who talks at the U.S. Congress is. If they wanted to ship 230 Hawk missiles at prices of 10 years ago, it would cost 10 times that amount.”

He was quoted as saying the TOW missiles alone, valued at pre-1979 prices, would cost double the figure cited by Wright.

Trying for 18 Months

Rafsanjani said the Americans tried for 18 months to contact Iran through arms dealers, “but during this time they couldn’t find one known official of our country to talk to.”

He acknowledged that his country has needed spare parts for its mostly U.S.-built arsenal but said Iran has acquired most of what it needs second-hand and from various dealers licensed to sell U.S. equipment.

“We are not so much in need of arms to have to talk to the U.S. in that way for the sake of weapons,” Rafsanjani added.