ran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations
in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling
outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border
demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and
sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran occupies two islands
in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as
Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by
Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and
Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); Iran jointly administers
with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE (called
Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)
- over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since
1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the
island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the
region in protesting these Iranian actions; Caspian Sea boundaries are
not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and
Turkmenistan

Illicit drugs: despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains
a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe;
domestic consumption of narcotics remains a persistent problem and
Iranian press reports estimate that there are at least 1.2 million
drug users in the country

______________________________________________________________________

IRAQ

@Iraq:Introduction

Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an
independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but
in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country
since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with
Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-1988). In
August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN
coalition forces during January-February 1991. The victors did not
occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control.
Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required
Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles
and to allow UN verification inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in
effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC
resolutions.

@Iraq:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and
Kuwait

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references: M