Iran Intervening for al-Qaeda Prisoners.

Iran has become involved in trying to assure the protection and repatriation of non-Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda prisoners.

Iran's official news agency has agreed with the Afghanistan Defense Ministry that Iranian correspondents will be allowed to meet Al-Qaeda members now jailed in that country and to file reports on them. The Iranian agency announced that it would make these reports available internationally, and that the Afghani authorities have allowed it to take pictures and make films as well as prepare written reports.

A notable effect of Iran's work will be in the prevention of abuse of the foreign prisoners by their Afghani guards, and even more so the "disappearance" of prisoners. Iran's move is crucial in light of the American intention to try captured al-Qaeda members before military tribunals. Having international monitoring of this sort is usually an assurance of fair ...