ISRAELI AND AMERICAN TEAMS TO DISCUSS IRANIAN MISSILE TEST

 ISRAEL LINE THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1998

  American and Israeli teams are scheduled to meet in Washington today to
exchange information on Iran's development of ground-to-ground missiles,
focusing on last month's test of the Iranian Shihab 3 missile, HA'ARETZ
reported.  The participants, represented on the Israeli side by the Foreign
and Defense Ministries, military intelligence and the Mossad, will also
focus on Russia-Iran relations in anticipation of next week's summit between
United States President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
  During a preparatory meeting last week, one U.S. official claimed that it
has yet to be determined whether the Shihab 3 missile exploded during the
test by intent or from a technical failure.  The official stressed that ways
must be found "to delay, hamper and possibly even eliminate Iran's ability
to receive the components it needs for its current development of the Shihab
4 missile," which is intended to have a range exceeding that of its Shihab 3
counterpart.