No Direct Talks, No Truce, Iraq Says; Fighting Rages : Baghdad’s Envoy, U.N. Chief Meet

Foreign Minister Tarik Aziz of Iraq today met with the U.N. secretary general, but said his country will not declare a cease-fire in the Iran-Iraq War until direct talks are held with Iranian officials.

“Iraq shall not be stampeded into making a hasty step under the present circumstances,” Aziz said as he entered U.N. headquarters for a meeting with Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar.

“We believe the first step and starter of constructive talks is face-to-face negotiations between the two parties under the auspices of the secretary general,” he said.

“If Iran does not accept that formula, it means they are not sincere about peace,” Aziz said. He said Iraq “wants to be sure that we are making real, durable and comprehensive peace” to end the 8-year-old war.

Iranian rebels said today they are holding two cities well inside Iran and had killed or wounded thousands of Iranian soldiers. Iran claimed Iraqi planes dropped chemical bombs on a provincial capital.

Ali Riza Jafer Zada, spokesman for the Moujahedeen Khalq rebels based in Iraq, also claimed its fighters shot down two Iranian warplanes and a helicopter gunship in the central sector of the 730-mile border war front.

Iranian Claims Aired

Tehran’s media said Tuesday that Iranian soldiers had regained Eslamabad in western Iran and killed 1,100 rebels.

But the rebels today claimed to have “crushed” an Iranian offensive and reoccupied Eslamabad. The National Liberation Army claimed its soldiers had killed or wounded 30,000 Iranian soldiers in this week’s offensive.

Jafer Zada, the rebel spokesman, said the rebels also controlled the nearby city of Karand.

Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency, monitored in Cyprus, said Iraqi warplanes dropped chemical bombs near Bakhtaran, a provincial capital in the central sector. It said civilians in the Chahar-Zebar district were wounded but did not give figures.

The tough stand by Aziz, who requested the current round of cease-fire talks, could signal difficult going in the negotiations.

Iran has opposed direct talks, but has left the door open to such contacts if requested by the secretary general.

The U.N. chief said the talks initially would be separate and he would mediate between the two sides. But he said he prefers direct talks and may request them later.

Tells Hopes for Truce

Asked today if he is hopeful he will obtain a truce agreement some time next week in the war that is estimated to have killed or wounded about 1 million people, Perez de Cuellar said, “It is my wish . . . I intend to do it.”

He also said he will raise the issue of foreign hostages held by a pro-Iranian faction in Lebanon.

“I think they may assert their possible influence in order to have this problem out of the way for both humanitarian and political reason,” Perez de Cuellar said.

Aziz held a first round of talks this morning for one hour at the secretary general’s residence near the United Nations. The secretary general’s spokesman, Francois Giuliani, said the unannounced meeting was held at Perez de Cuellar’s residence for “convenience.”

Aziz and Perez de Cuellar then held a second meeting at U.N. headquarters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati also was to meet today with Perez de Cuellar.

Iraq, meanwhile, said it has captured 12,207 Iranians in six days of fighting. Baghdad has sought to improve its bargaining position in the talks by capturing an equal number of prisoners as Iran claims to be holding.

If today’s claim by Iraq is confirmed, Baghdad now holds 25,000 Iranian prisoners of war compared to 50,000 Iraqi POWs held by Iran, according to the latest International Red Cross estimates.