Nation: Hostages Near Freedom

And a U.N. commission would probe past abuses in Iran

Nobody could be sure, and nobody would talk. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance slipped up to Manhattan for a secret meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim, then slipped away again. At the U.N. and in West European capitals, normally accessible diplomats became uncharacteristically secretive. Washington buzzed with rumors, but the White House banned all official speculation, and Jimmy Carter urged the nation "to guard against excessive optimism." Though such caution was certainly warranted, there was mounting evidence from all quarters that the long, cruel ordeal might finally be coming to an end for the 50 Americans being held hostage by militant Iranian youths at the U.S. embassy in Tehran and the three Americans being detained at the Foreign Ministry.

"It's apparent that there's a certain amount of ferment," said presidential Press Secretary Jody Powell of the hostage issue, but "whether that ferment produces wine or vinegar remains to be seen." Last week's clues pointed toward wine. Not only did Carter say, in his first press conference in eleven weeks, that there were "positive signs" in the attempts to free the hostages, but near week's end Iran's newly elected President, Abolhassan Banisadr, also issued the most encouraging statement to come from a responsible Iranian official since the militants seized the Americans last Nov. 4. Said he, in an Italian television network interview: "There is a proposal on President Carter's desk now which, if he accepts, can lead to the release of the hostages in 48 hours."

It seemed clear that some Washington-Tehran deal was nearing completion. Among its critical ingredients apparently would be:

1) The establishment of a U.N.-sponsored international commission before which Iran's new rulers could state their grievances against the U.S. and deposed Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. At his news conference, Carter said that "an appropriate commission with a carefully defined purpose would be a step toward resolution of this crisis." Exactly who devised this concept has become a matter of hot controversy between Carter and Ted Kennedy in their battle for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination (see box).

This commission will apparently not be the Robespierrean tribunal that the Iranians originally had sought. Instead of making judgments, it will simply gather facts, hear charges and then submit a report to the U.N. Said a U.N. diplomat from a country that is being considered for a commission seat: "The U.S. will not be humiliated by the report." Mentioned as possible panel members have been, among others, Algeria, Bangladesh, France, Syria and Venezuela.