A 1988 arms deal between the Soviet Union and Iran was effectively open-ended, said the official, who asked not to be identified. Russia decided to stick with that deal after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1992, the official said Monday, and there is nothing in the promise Yeltsin made to change that.
In announcing the agreement last week, Clinton conceded that many details still had to be worked out.
A senior U.S. official said an open-ended arrangement between Russia and Iran would be "contrary to what the president offered and what Yeltsin accepted.''
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