North Worked Out Iran Deal as McFarlane Slept

Lt. Col. Oliver L. North negotiated an arms-for-hostages deal with Iranian officials on a secret mission to Tehran last year while then-national security adviser Robert C. McFarlane slept, a source said today. Awakened and told of the deal, McFarlane said, “No dice.”

North negotiated for the release of two hostages while other members of the U.S. delegation in Tehran were asleep last May 28 and ordered that a plane carrying spare military parts be flown from Israel to Tehran, said the source, who spoke only on condition of anonymity.

He then awoke McFarlane and told him of the arrangement, and McFarlane canceled the deal and ordered the plane to return because all four U.S. hostages then being held in Lebanon were not to be released in the deal.

‘Not Very Unusual’

The source, familiar with the investigation into the Iran- contra scandal, described North’s actions as “not very unusual” for the aide to the National Security Council who was fired by President Reagan last November.

“He would get things moving subject to a decision being made to go or no-go,” he said.

He said McFarlane was awakened “before it reached the point of no return, for the specific purpose of determining whether or not to let it go ahead, and said, ‘No dice.’ ”

The deal by North and Iranian middleman Manucher Ghorbanifar followed a series of negotiations the night before that were frustrating for the Americans and had left McFarlane out of patience and ready to leave.

Vote Expected Next Week

In another development, House and Senate committees investigating the Iran-contra affair are expected to vote next week to grant limited immunity from prosecution to former National Security Adviser John M. Poindexter, committee sources said.

The immunity vote is expected Wednesday. Immunity would be granted under an agreement with special prosecutor Lawrence E. Walsh that would keep Poindexter’s congressional testimony secret until June 15.