Mr. Gates said that he had simply moved the matter to higher-level officials who had more complete information about the Iran dealings.

However, as was typical during the anti-regulatory climate of the Reagan Administration, these efforts were apparently blocked by higher-level officials.

The matter was thus sent to a group of higher-level officials from various agencies called the Policy Coordinating Committee.

But many officials here fear that Mr. Mehlis may also interrogate much higher-level officials.

Through the lawyer's contacts, a higher-level official at Social Security looked into Mr. Reilly's case.

Whether that means that higher-level officials in the Government will not be prosecuted is open to interpretation.

The potential split puts an added burden on higher-level officials.

Local officials attempt on occasion to limit the practice of religion by some nontraditional groups; however, higher-level officials or courts occasionally intervene to correct such attempts.

It flowed from a degree of social disorganization within these corporations and also from patterns of differential association amongst its higher-level officials.

The Administration moved last year to upgrade unofficial relations with Taipei by allowing meetings between higher-level officials than before.