News In Brief

US Supersonic fighters being shipped to Iran

More than 20 supersonic fighters in containers are on their way to Iran from the United States via Turkey, a British newspaper said Sunday. The Observer claimed a broker for Lloyds Insurance of London had been asked to arrange insurance for 25 F-5 fighters on their way to Turkey from the US. It said ''reports from several sources say the final destination is Iran,'' but ''nobody will admit the deal has been struck.''

The Observer also reported a group of Iranian moderates, including three National Assembly members, secretly asked Iran's exiled former defense minister to return and negotiate an end to the war with Iraq. It said an Iranian delegation, disguised as a trade mission, held 10 hours of talks with Admiral Ahmed Madani in West Germany recently.