News In Brief

US stepping up tension in Gulf, Soviets charge

The Soviet news agency Tass said Wednesday the United States was dramatically escalating tension in the Persian Gulf area by trying to establish control over the sea and airspace in the region.

In a Tass statement, giving the comments extra official weight, the agency said Washington was ''grossly violating the commonly recognized norms of law'' on civil aviation and shipping.

''The amassing of US warships and warplanes in the Persian Gulf area is dramatically escalating tension and provoking a conflict situation with the involvement of the US armed forces there,'' Tass said.

Tass said dozens of US warships were in the Persian Gulf and that the US Air Force was constantly flying patrol missions.