April 2, 1985

The United States has warned Iran that it will suffer consequences if Americans held in Lebanon are executed, Reagan Administration officials said today. They said the warning was conveyed in a message from Secretary of State George P. Shultz through the Swiss Government, which represents United States interests in Iran. The message stemmed from concern that Shiite Moslems holding the Americans were planning to execute some of them. Officials would not provide the exact date of Mr. Shultz's letter, but said it was sent in the last six weeks. It was said to be firm, but unspecific as to what actions might be taken.

The Financial Corporation of America said today that it lost $512.1 million in the fourth quarter, largely because of an increase in its reserves against bad loans and real estate property by $472.5 million. The results, delayed for a month by an extended review of the company's problem assets, gave Financial the biggest annual loss ever for a thrift institution, at $590.5 million. A year ago, the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company reported the biggest annual loss ever by a financial institution, at $1.1 billion. William J. Popejoy, Financial's chairman and chief executive, said that the company and its new auditors, Peat Marwick, had analyzed the company's problem loans ''to the extent humanly possible.'' He said, however, that he could not rule out future increases in the loss reserves.

TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1985 International Japan made ''new commitments'' on trade, the Administration said, but it did not detail them. While weekend talks left many matters unresolved, Japanese leaders tentatively agreed to increase access to the Japanese market, particularly for telecommunications products, officials said. (Page A1.) The trade dispute has begun to focus on how Japanese policy will be carried out by the Tokyo bureaucracy. (D4.) Whether Japanese makers of color TV sets must stand trial on charges of violating American antitrust laws by selling at artificially low prices will be decided by the Supreme Court. The case dates from the early 1970's. (D4.) Companies Sir James Goldsmith would offer to buy Crown Zellerbach for at least $1.14 billion, he said, if the company acts by Monday to do away with a harsh anti-takeover provision. Otherwise, he warned, he would seek a proxy fight. Zellerbach said it would not be ''hurried, bullied or intimidated.'' (D1.)

WHATEVER finally comes of President Reagan's proposed ''Star Wars'' defense against nuclear missiles, current research at the nation's weapons laboratories promises a bumper crop of spinoff discoveries and gadgets, many of which will spur progress in medicine, industry and basic science. Scientists at such weapons laboratories as Lawrence Livermore in California, Los Alamos in New Mexico and Oak Ridge in Tennessee say their projects will benefit pursuits as arcane as the analysis of supernova explosions and as mundane as the processing of vegetables. Instruments, machines and ideas being developed in connection with weapons programs may help detect cancer in its early stages, screen people for genetic defects, custom-grind special contact lenses and win back the America's Cup. Of the $100 million the Government is expected to spend on Strategic Defense Initiative research in the coming year, most will go for projects having little immediate bearing on peaceful applications. Critics of the Presidential initiative argue that the money would be better spent directly on civilian research.

A caption in Metropolitan Report on Saturday under a picture of a young girl on a seesaw at Sagamore Park in Teaneck, N.J., misidentified her. She was Jessica Waxenberg.