Iran, Iraq return to Algiers Agreement

By Haydar Karaalp</p> <p>BAGHDAD, Iraq (AA) – Iraq and Iran decided on Tuesday to return to the Algiers Agreement signed in 1975.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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,</p> <p>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. </p> <p>- Return to Algiers Agreement</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>Rouhani is expected to meet Ali al-Sistani, one of the Shiite religious authorities in Najaf on his last day. </p> <p>* Writing by Vakkas Dogantekin</p> <p>