Third peace round ends with ceasefire pledges but no settlement

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.

Iranian and Iraqi legal experts negotiated in Geneva. Velayati maintained that Iraqi troops should leave Iranian territory before the wider return of war prisoners.

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.

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...

Iran and Iraq began returning sick and wounded prisoners under ICRC supervision. The operation brought some captives home but did not resolve the fate of all war prisoners.

The prisoner exchange was halted amid disagreement over its terms. The interruption showed how humanitarian returns remained vulnerable to disputes between the governments.