Won’t Fire Regan, President Declares; Future ‘Up to Him’

President Reagan today ruled out firing White House Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan but said the embattled aide’s future status in the Administration is “up to him.”

“I have always said that when people I’ve asked to come into government feel that they have to return to private life, that’s their business and I will never try to talk them out of it,” Reagan said.

The President’s refusal to give Regan a ringing vote of confidence came during a brief encounter with reporters and raised further questions about the future of his top aide, whose job performance has been questioned in light of the Iran arms affair.

Reagan, who has been shielded from the press since his Jan. 5 prostate operation, briefly fielded questions at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.

Asked about a report in today’s Washington Post that his wife, Nancy, was no longer speaking to Regan, the President replied, “Oh, for heaven’s sake! Not true and nobody’s getting fired.”

However, the First Lady’s press office refused to comment on the report.

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said earlier at his daily news briefing that Mrs. Reagan and the chief of staff talk every day.

During his photo session with Shamir, Reagan refused to answer any questions about the secret sale of U.S. arms to Iran and diversion of profits to Administration-backed contra rebels in Nicaragua.

“I’m not going to take any questions on that situation until the Tower Commission’s report is turned in,” he said.

Reagan appointed the commission, which is headed by former Texas Sen. John Tower, last Nov. 26 and asked it to examine the role and performance of the National Security Council staff, which hatched the clandestine Iran operation.

Report Due Feb. 26

The panel is due to report its findings Feb. 26.

Although he once boasted of knowing everything that went on in the White House, Regan has insisted he was unaware of the element of the Iran initiative that has made it a scandal--the possibly illegal skimming of arms-sale profits to aid the contras.

The gruff, 67-year old former Wall Street executive has compared his position to that of a bank president who is not in a position to know everything that his tellers are doing.

But several key members of Congress, including House Republican leader Robert H. Michel, have criticized Regan’s performance as chief of staff and said that he should resign.

Exoneration Expected

One ex-Regan associate, who asked not to be identified, recently told Reuters that the President’s top aide expected the Tower Commission to clear him of any blame for the Iran scandal and suggested such a report would enable him to exit the White House gracefully.

Some congressional sources have said they expected Regan to leave the White House within the next several weeks.

But one of Regan’s closest personal friends said, “Don is firm as long as he wants to be.”

This source, who also asked not to be identified, said the President would never ask his chief of staff to resign but termed Regan’s continued effectiveness in his job “a close question.”