Iran assails France, Arabs, charging secret aid to Iraq

Iran, halted on the battlefront and threatened with internal disintegration, bitterly accused France and Gulf Arab states of sustaining Iraq's war effort in secret deals that sent jets and oil money to Baghdad. In Washington, sources said that a number of Soviet- made tanks from Eastern European countries have been sent to Iraq via Saudi Arabia. But in Baghad, Iraq issued a veiled attack on the Soviet Union, its chief weapons supplier, and diplomatic sources said Moscow is apparently edging toward Iran despite commitments to Baghdad. Moscow cut off direct arms supplies to Iraq at the start of the Gulf war with Iraq at the start of the Gulf war with Iraq in September, but Soviet-made arms, however, were still reaching the country through some East European states.

Meanwhile, France will continue to block delivery of three missile boats to the Iranian Navy despite Iran's demands for their release, French officials said. Handover of the boats will depend on the outcome of all outstanding French claim s against the revolutionary government.