Israeli Claims High-Level U.S. Arms Deal Role

David Kimche, a central Israeli figure in the shipment of American arms to Iran, broke his silence Friday and said the secret operation was fully coordinated with the highest levels of the U.S. government.

A second Israeli involved in the controversial arms deal, businessman Jacob Nimrodi, said 500 U.S.-made TOW anti-tank missiles were sent to Iran in payment for the release of Presbyterian minister Benjamin Weir in September, 1985.

Kimche, then director general of the Foreign Ministry, and Nimrodi spoke on Israel television in the most extensive public comment so far by people involved in the transaction.

Liaison With McFarlane

Published accounts have portrayed Israel as the middleman in the secret delivery of a half-dozen shipments of U.S. weapons to Iran, which are said to have begun in August, 1985. Kimche has emerged as Israel’s liaison with Robert C. McFarlane, the former national security adviser, from July to December, 1985.

When asked if the arms shipments during that period had top-level U.S. approval, Kimche replied: “Yes, definitely.

“It was for that reason that I was sent to the United States, to clarify this subject and find out whether, and how much, the Americans at the highest level wanted to carry out this operation. And if they said ‘no,’ we would have said, ‘OK,’ ” Kimche said.

He did not specifically mention the names of American officials. President Reagan has said he approved the deal only in January, 1986. Kimche’s trip reportedly was six months earlier.

When asked if he was told that U.S. officials would deny involvement if the arms shipments became known, he replied: “I’d prefer not to answer that question.”