Iran promises Iraq financial aid

According to BNA, Iran promised Iraq financial aid amounting to one billion dollars for the reconstruction of the war torn country, Iraqi Defence Minister Saadoun Al Dulaimi said Thursday during a three day visit to Iran.
The aid proposal came at a time when the Iranian administration is still demanding billions of dollars of compensation from Iraq for major border areas in the Iran's southwest still devastated by the war. Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari is scheduled to visit Iran next Tuesday. Prior to Jafari's visit, ten of his Ministers will come to Tehran to prepare the grounds for the meetings. Both sides regard the visit as a turning point in Tehran- Baghdad relations, as it marks the first time in recent Iranian history that the head of an Iraqi government will come to Tehran.