The World - News from Aug. 14, 1989

Iranian researchers tried to buy poison-producing strains of fungus from Canada and the Netherlands earlier this year, but the Bush Administration blocked the attempts, fearing that Iran intended to use the fungus to make chemical weapons from the toxins the fungus produces, a published report said. The Iranians sought to buy fungi that are found on wheat and grass, the New York Times reported, and produce mycotoxins, some of which harm humans and animals by inhibiting the ability of cells to synthesize proteins. They can cause death in sufficient concentrations. The Iranian efforts highlight a lack of international efforts to limit the development of weapons made from organic compounds, the report said.