TEHRAN (AFP) - Nine Iranian prisoners detained by U.S. troops have been released from Iraq’s southern Um-Alqasr prison; a top Iranian official told IRIB on Saturday.

"Two groups, one of three and one of six, were released and they came to the embassy", said Iranian charge d’affaires to Baghdad, Ali-Reza Haghighian.

"We have not received any confirmed report that all Iranian prisoners were released," he added.

"We can confirm 56 prisoners ... were charged with entering Iraq illegally without proper documentation, for pilgrimage," Iran’s envoy to Iraq added.

The release of the nine prisoners follows a landmark visit to Tehran by the current president of Iraq’s U.S.-installed interim Governing Council, Jalal Talabani.

Talabani and fellow Governing Council colleague, Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq were mediating with U.S. overseer Paul Bremer for the release of Iranian prisoners held by U.S. troops in Iraq.

Earlier this month, Talabani called for the release of 65 Iranians held by U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq. He also said the council had played a role in the release of two Iranian journalists held by the coalition for four months.

In Baghdad alone, U.S. troops are believed to be holding at least 50 Iranian nationals. More Iranians are believed to be held in other Iraqi cities, most of them thought to be pilgrims who crossed the Iran-Iraq border illegally.