TEHRAN. May 4 The United States has paid Iran around 100 million dollars in compensat)6n for the US navy's 1988 downing of an Iranian airliner with 290 people on board, an Iranian official said yesterday, reports AFP

Gudarz Efteknar Jahroml. head of the office for interna tlonal legal affairs, said the United fffates had deposited 61.8 million dollars gt a Swiss bank to go to relatives of victims and the rest In compensation Tor the downing ol the Airbus A 300

The official, quoted by Iran s state news agency IRNA. said 300.000 dollars had been set aside for each victim who was a "wage earner" and 150,000 dollars tor each of the others

The airliner was shot down on July 3. 1988 as it Was on a flight across the Persian Guff from the Iranian port of Ban dar Abbas to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates

The Uplted States said the .plane had been mistaken tor an F 14 fighter jet. but Iran Insists the attack was intentional.

Washington said in February that the two countries had been able to settle the claim after the International Court of Justice dismissed a law suit filed by Tehran

US officials said before that only the families of the victims would be compensated and no money would go to the Iranian government

Families of 42 non-Iranian victims have already received compensation.