Urgency of Shah's illness was distorted, paper says
| New York
US officials misrepresented the urgency of the Shah of Iran's illness to Jimmy Carter, and the monarch did not have to be treated in the United States in the decision that led to the Iranian hostage crisis, the New York Times has reported.
The paper said a three-month inquiry showed discrepancies between what Mr. Carter was told about the Shah's condition and what the Shah's physician remembers reporting.
In fact, the Times said, it was not necessary to treat the Shah here. The medical details were apparently "boiled down" by US officials and given to Mr. Carter in a form serving to reduce his apparent option.
The Times also said plans for a second military raid began a day after the first raid failed, April 25, 1980. During training for the second mission, one serviceman was killed and six others wounded in a helicopt er crash in Utah.
