Iran releases Iraqi prisoners

Some 500 Iraqi prisoners of war arrived on Sunday at al-Munzereyah border center after being released by Iran earlier.

AFP quoted the chairman of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Biet Shweizer, as saying that the release of the Iraqi prisoners in Iran will continue in the next three days.

The Iraqi official in charge of the issue of prisoners at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry Fahmi al-Qeisi, said that some 1,879 prisoners will be released within four days from Iran.

Al-Qeisi added that if those Iraqis are actually released, another 9,000 Iraqi prisoners will still be held in Iran.

Iran, for its part, said the number of Iranian prisoners who are still held in Iraq is estimated at 2,806 persons.