The French paper Le Matin reported today, quoting an Israeli who has recently returned from Teheran, that Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini personally approved arms deals with Israel. The paper said the Israeli, who went under an assumed identity to Teheran to negotiate new arms contracts on Israel’s behalf, said Khomeini recently ruled that “Israel is Satan, but in our country’s situation we have to deal with Satan himself.”
Le Matin, which did not disclose the identity of the Israeli, said that the decision to buy arms and spare parts in Israel was taken at the urging of the “Islamic Guard,” an extremist group. No Iranian leader wanted to assume responsibility for the contacts with Israel and Khomeini himself had to rule on the issue.
The French weekly L’Express reported earlier this week that Iranian army generals telephoned Israel via Rome to discuss arms deliveries to Iron which is now in the second year of war with Iraq.
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