Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

Backgrounder: Basic facts about Iran-Iraq relations

    WASHINGTON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States confirmed on Monday that it is prepared to resume long-delayed talks with Iran on security in Iraq.

    "We have reconfirmed to the Iraqi government our readiness to have these discussions (with Iran) focus on the security situation in Iraq. There's no date set for them," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

    Washington conveyed the message Sunday to the Iraqi government, according to the spokesman.

    The United States, which accuses Iran of providing weapons and funds to the insurgents to fight against coalition forces in Iraq, has held with Iran three rounds of talks over Iraq's security issue but failed to reach any agreement.

    Iran denies U.S. accusations, saying "the U.S. just wanted to find excuses for its failed policies in Iraq" and it was the existence of U.S. forces made that war-torn country volatile.

18 injured in Baghdad bomb attacks

    BAGHDAD, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Roadside bombs and mortar attacks rocked the Iraqi capital on Monday and wounded 18 people, an Interior Ministry source said.

    "A roadside bomb struck in the morning near a police patrol near the al-Rubaie Intersection in Baghdad's eastern neighborhood of Zaiyouna, wounding two policemen and two bystanders, " the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

    A police vehicle was damaged by the attack, the source said.  Full story

Senior Iraqi police officer survives bomb attack in Basra

    BASRA, Iraq, April 7 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iraqi Interior Ministry officer escaped unhurt a roadside bomb attack on his convoy in Iraq's second largest city of Basra on Monday, a local police source said.

    "Brigadier Abdul Kareem Khalaf, head of Interior Ministry's operations office, has survived around midday a roadside bomb attack on his convoy in the Nashwah area in north of Basra," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Full story

Iran receives U.S. request for new talks on Iraq security

    TEHRAN, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran received an official request from the United States to hold a fourth round of talks to improve Iraq security, the official IRNA news agency Monday reported.

    "We are studying the U.S. officials repeated request which was sent to us as an official note to hold new round of talks on Iraq," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini was quoted as saying at the weekly press conference.   Full story