Iran's Deliberate Double Game

By DAVID ELLIS

In the gulf war, Iran appears to be taking sides -- both of them. Intelligence sources say Iran allowed a group of anti-Saddam activists to meet in Tehran last week to form plans for a post-war Iraqi government. That would be in keeping with Iran's abiding hostility toward Iraq following their eight-year war. But the Tehran government has also allowed Iraqi combat planes and transport aircraft to flee to Iranian soil. The Iranians might keep the planes < until the conflict ends, but intelligence officials speculate that Tehran also might try to extract payment in return for letting the aircraft fly out.

With reporting by Sidney Urquhart