Six pieces ranging from an ancient Sumerian stone tablet to an AK-47 rifle bearing Saddam's image were handed over to Iraq at an embassy ceremony on Thursday.

"As Iraqis, we remain steadfast in our effort to return each and every one of these cultural treasures to their rightful home," Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie said at the ceremony.

Baghdad's envoy said that the Iraqi National Museum lost around 15,000 items due to looting after Saddam's regime collapsed. Half of the items have since been found and returned "due to the diligence of our allies," Sumaida'ie said.