Inside Report (5)

News flash: Tehran was the site of recent Iranian demonstrations, which included the burning of several American flags.

It's unknown what stockpiles of Old Glory Iran had under the Shah. But ever since the takeover of the US Embassy three years ago, Iran's US flag reserves have been going up in smoke. US flagmakers, who don't export many flags anyway, are especially wary of selling to the Iranians. ''If anyone in the industry got an order from Iran, we wouldn't sell them because we know how they're going to end up,'' says Joseph McIntyre, vice-president for sales with the Dettra Flag Company in Oaks, Pa.

Where do the Iranians get their supply? A State Department official said he had no evidence of any American flag imports into Iran and that flagmakers there most likely made US flags. ''I would think it's a very simple thing to sew yourself,'' he said.m