Iran, Iraq return to Algiers Agreement

By Haydar Karaalp

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AA) - Iraq and Iran decided on Tuesday to return to the Algiers Agreement signed in 1975.

The agreement was signed to settle border disputes and later served as the basis for other bilateral treaties, but cancelled by Iraq's then vice president Saddam Hussein in 1980.

The two sides announced a road map to resolve bilateral issues such as demarcation of their border, ownership of oil fields and dispute over the Shatt al-Arab, according to a joint statement released from the prime minister's office in Iraq on the second day of meetings with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani,

Iraq and Iran also promised political determination to wage a war against financing terrorism, dredging of the border river and agreed that tourism, pilgrimage and commerce visas would be free to citizens of both countries starting from April 1.

- Return to Algiers Agreement

The parties expressed their determination to implement the Algiers Agreement concerning the state frontier and neighborly relations of Iran and Iraq, dated June 13, 1975 with great care.

Rouhani arrived in Iraq yesterday for a three-day visit. He met his Iraqi counterpart, Barham Salih, Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, some political and religious leaders as well as tribal representatives in Baghdad and he later went to Karbala.

Rouhani is expected to meet Ali al-Sistani, one of the Shiite religious authorities in Najaf on his last day.

* Writing by Vakkas Dogantekin