Panama guards Shah; hears request to extradite

March 17, 1980

The Panamanian National Guard has surrounded the Paitilla clinic, where the deposed Shah of Iran has been since March 14. Panama has said it will consider a request to extradite the Shah to Iran, but Foreign Minister Carlos Ozores has virtually discounted the possibility that his government would hand over the Shah. He said Panamanian law would probably forbid the extradition because the Shah would face a possible death penalty if put on trial in Tehran. He added that the Shah's movements are not restricted.