Iran claimed that the Soviet Union was stepping up its troop movements along Iran's northwestern Azerbaijan border in order to blackmail the Islamic Republic from pressing for a Russian pull-out from neighbouring Afghanistan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasir-o-Sadat Salami as saying: "The reason for the movements of Soviet troops in these areas is that the Soviet Union is pressing Iran not to insist that the Soviet Union pull its troops out of Afghanistan."
Herrera urges unified price system
Venezuelan President Luis Herrera Campins called on the leaders of the United Arab Emirates yesterday, to join him in trying to get a unified price for oil sold by the 13-member Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
"If Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates exert joint efforts, it would be possible to achieve a unified price” he said at the end of a visit to Abu Dhabi, part of a tour of Arab oil-producing countries.
Ohira apologises for espionage scandal
Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira publicly apologised to the country for Japan's worst espionage scandal since World War II.
Ohira's apology came a day after the Tokyo district prosecutor's office indicted one former and two active ground self-defence force officers after a three-week investigation. "I apologise to the Japanese people from the bottom of my heart that such regrettable case has ever happened" Ohira said at the day's Cabinet session.
Mary Decker smashes world 1500m indoor time
Mary Decker brought a capacity Madison Square garden of 18,310 to its feet by destroying the world indoor mark for the women's 1,500 metres, highlighting a record-filled 73rd annual Wanamaker Millrose Games.
Decker's incredible run overshadowed an earlier world mark, set by Ohio state senior Stephanie Hightower in the 60-yard hurdles and several other American and meet records as the women dominated the "domestic" meet. Decker, 20, running for Athletics West, covered the 1,500 metres in 4:00:8, shaving 2.2 seconds off Natalia Maracescu's world record, set last February.
