WASHINGTON--The Carter administration has agreed in principle to Iranian terms for freeing the 52 Americans held hostage in Iran for more than a year, Secretary of State Edmund S. Muskie said yesterday.

"We've said publicly we accepted the four points in principle," Muskie said, referring to the terms set down November 4 by the Iranian parliament. "But that doesn't tell you much about the details, does it?" he added.

Muskie's remark apparently was the first by a senior Carter administration official which indicated the Iranian terms for release of the hostages was acceptable, even in principle.

The Iranians have demanded a U.S. promise of nonintervention in Iranian affairs, the freeing of more than eight billion dollars in assets frozen by the Carter administration, cancellation of all American claims against Iran and return of the wealth of the late Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

The Carter administration replied to the Iranian terms ten days ago in a message transmitted through Algerian intermediaries. Iran has yet to respond officially to the American proposals.

Meanwhile, in Iran, reports quoted Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Raji as saying the United States, in dealing with the hostage question, "has not understood the problem."