Iran FM attacks US policy in Iraq

Iran has issued a strong attack against US policy in Iraq, blaming the American presence there for sectarian violence.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was speaking at a summit of world and regional powers in Egypt, called to discuss Iraq's security.

The summit had been expected to see the first high-level talks between the US and Iran in almost three decades.

But the strength of the comments was likely to dash those chances, says the BBC's Sadeq Saba at the summit.

'Accept responsibility'

Iraq's neighbours, including Iran and Syria, had joined ministers from the G8 nations and the EU at the conference in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Speaking at the summit, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki called for neighbouring countries to stop funding terrorists and to block their entry into the country.