Pravada blames Iran for poor USSR-Iran relations

The Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda complained about Iran's attitude toward the Soviet Union and said right-wingers around Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini were blocking progress toward good relations between the two countries.

In a commentary marking the third anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah, Pravda said trade relations between Moscow and Tehran are thriving, but political and diplomatic ties are at a low ebb.

Criticism of the Iranian Islamic leadership has been rare in the Soviet press , and the commentary indicated irritation in Moscow that attempts to woo Tehran over the past three years had brought few results.