Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri is in Iran for a visit aimed at patching up differences between the two former enemy states. He was welcomed to Tehran Friday by Iran's deputy foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Mr. Sabri told reporters upon his arrival that he hopes the countries can resolve outstanding issues from their eight-year war in the 1980s.

Up to one million Iraqis and Iranians died in that war, and the return of prisoners has remained a major issue. Each country also hosts opposition groups that want to overthrow the other's government.

Thirteen years after the end of their war, the two countries have yet to restore normal relations. Recently, however, there have been signs of a thaw. Iraq this week opened its borders to Iranian pilgrims who want to travel to Shi'ite religious shrines there, while Iran released nearly 700 Iraqi prisoners of war.

Iran also said it will soon start airline flights to Iraq after a break of more than two decades, and that it will use lraqi air space for flights to Syria. The Iraqi overtures to Iran are believed to be part of attempts by Baghdad to line up support from neighboring countries to head off threats by the United States to extend the war on terrorism to Iraq.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and DPA.

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