Iraq, Iran exchange war prisoners

Spokesman for the Iranian Foreign ministry Mahmoud Muhammadi today said Iran and Iraq have decided to exchange prisoners in the framework of the agreement reached by the two countries' foreign ministers to settle humanitarian problems between Tehran and Baghdad.

The spokesman said the exchange process started as of Thursday, and the agreement states that Iraq is to set free 380 Iranian prisoners whereas Iran is to free 5,239 Iraqi prisoners.

Muhammadi said the two sides are to follow up on the agreement reached during the recent meeting of the joint committee for prisoners which was held in Tehran.

During the first phase of the prisoner exchange process made earlier today through Khasrawi border highway, in western Iran in the presence of representatives of the International Red Cross, Iran released 800 Iraqi prisoners whereas some 61 Iranian prisoners were released by Iraq.