Iraqi Defense Minister Hazim AlShaalan has announced that his country intends to start negotiations with the Iranian government to restore the airplanes smuggled to Iran by the former Iraqi regime, reported Al Sharq AlAwsat newspaper on July 31 .

The former Iraqi regime transferred a number of military and civil airplanes to Iran during the first Gulf war in 1991 to preserve them from the danger of the air raids of the coalition forces, but Iran refused to return them after the end of the military operations.

The Iraqi defense minister said that the airplanes are Iraqi properties and should be returned to their original owner. "This issue would be discussed through forming an ad hoc committee from the two sides to solve this and other issues," said the minister.

The former Iraqi regime insisted that the number of airplanes smuggled to Iran in 1991 were more than 120, but the Iranian side said repeatedly the number does not exceed 30.

Source: Xinhua