El Al has suspended flights to Teheran and there is no indication when or if they will be resumed. But as the supporters of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khoumeini took over the Iranian government, telephone contact was made last night with the small group of Israelis–mostly airline employes still in that country.
The call, which was routed through the Tokyo exchange, confirmed that the Israelis were all safe. But according to the telephone report, the announcement that El Al has cancelled it slights out of Teheran caused grave concern in the Jewish community. Reportedly, several hundred Iranian Jews about to leave for Israel were stranded because they could not complete formalities be fore the last flight left.
Yesterday’s mob attack on the Israeli trade mission in Teheran did not come as a surprise here. One Israeli reporter still in the Iranian capital claimed that Israel was the country most bated by the street mobs.
ASSESSING THE REPERCUSSIONS
Meanwhile, Israel is taking stock of the repercussions of the Iranian revolution on its economy. Apart from the cut-off of oil the most serious result of the Khoumeini take-over, the losses are not great and can be recouped. The $200 million worth of equipment left be bad in Iran by Solel Boneh, the Histadrut construction company, is insured against all risks.
Israel exported about $200 million worth of good to Iran last year, but only a third of the exports were of a type not easily diverted to other markets. Such products as pesticides, fertilizers and agricultural equipment can and are being sold else where.
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