Legal experts negotiate while Iran links releases to withdrawal

King Fahd made conciliatory remarks about Iran as Saudi Arabia considered improving relations after the ceasefire and the earlier diplomatic rupture.

Iraq proposed exchanging prisoners, describing its offer as a goodwill gesture. For Iran, prisoner returns remained linked to the broader dispute over withdrawal and peace implementation.

Iraq announced the release of 25 Iranian prisoners on a Red Cross aircraft. The return came while broader peace negotiations and prisoner arrangements remained unresolved.

Pérez de Cuéllar opened the third peace round in Geneva, prioritizing troop withdrawals and prisoners. Iran’s occupied territory and captive soldiers remained central to the agenda.

MEES reported a barter arrangement linking Iranian oil with Yugoslav trade, valued at at least $400 million annually.

Iran and Iraq agreed to an ICRC-supported return of registered sick and wounded prisoners. A planned 20 November start preceded the actual exchange later that month.

Iran and Iraq ended their third round with pledges to uphold the ceasefire but no substantive progress toward permanent peace. Humanitarian negotiations had not resolved the border dispute.

MEES relayed IRNA’s report of NIOC agreeing with Saipem to complete the IGAT-2 gas pipeline. Restoring stalled gas infrastructure formed part of Iran’s postwar economic recovery.

An economic cooperation framework provided for renewed annual Iranian gas sales to the Soviet Union. This was an agreement, not evidence of completed deliveries.

Khomeini praised the Basij and called for its continuing role, including organization among university and seminary students. His message envisioned volunteer mobilization beyond the battlefield after...