IRAQ SAYS IRAN FIRED LAND-BASED MISSILES AT SHIPS
Iraqi Foreign Minister Tareq Aziz was
quoted as saying Iran has attacked several ships with
land-based missiles sited at the Strait of Hormuz.
    The U.S. Announced recently Iran had emplaced Chinese-made
"Silkworm" anti-ship missiles with the range to cover the entire
width of the 24-mile-wide strait at the Gulf's mouth.
    Aziz said in an interview with al-Thawra newspaper that
leaders of Gulf Arab states had told him of the existence of
the missiles, which he said had been in place for many months.
    "They briefed me with their details and we know that the
Iranians used them several times to attack ships belonging to
Arab states in the Gulf, sailing in the waterway," he said.
    This is the first time any person of authority has said
Iran, Iraq's enemy in the 6-1/2-year-old Gulf war, had fired
the missiles in anger.
    A British naval source in the Gulf said last week Iran had
fired one test missile against a hulk in the strait.
    About 120 ships have been attacked in the Gulf by both
belligerents since January last year.
    Aziz said the U.S. Had announced the existence of the
missiles so late after their arrival as part of its efforts to
neutralise the effects of the secret U.S. Arms sale to Iran.
    "The missiles existed in the Gulf for many months ... But
they became a serious topic for America and the West only after
the failure of the Iranian invasion plan (against the south
Iraqi city of Basra) and as a balloon to cover up the Irangate
story," Aziz said.
 REUTER
