Iran And Iraq Make A Deal

Iran and Iraq have agreed to release all prisoners from their 1980-88 war and all common criminals who are citizens of the other country, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

In an agreement signed Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said, Iran would release 941 Iraqi prisoners of war and Iraq would release 349 Iranian criminals in its jails. Iraq does not admit to holding Iranian prisoners of war.

The Foreign Ministry said the agreement was the result of a series of talks between the two nations. The Iraqi side was led by Abdul Munim al-Qaadi, head of the ministry's legal department, it said.

It cited al-Qaadi as saying Iran would release the Iraqi prisoners later Thursday, while Iraq would release its inmates on Monday and Tuesday.

It was not clear whether the announced numbers represented all prisoners held by the two sides, but the ministry said the order applied to all jailed citizens.