Iran blames US and regional agents for Iraq unrest

TEHRAN, Nov 28 (Reuters) Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's highest authority, told the Iraqi president today the US occupation and some US-backed regional ''agents'' were to blame for violence in Iraq, state TV reported.

Khamenei also told Jalal Talabani that Iran was ready to help restore security in Iraq if Baghdad wished -- echoing comments made a day earlier by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The United States says fighting in Iraq is being fuelled by Iranian weapons exports and its backing for Shi'ite Muslim groups, charges Tehran dismisses.

''The first step to resolve the insecurity in Iraq is the withdrawal of the occupiers and handing over the security issues to the Iraqi government, which is backed by the people,'' state television quoted Khamenei as telling Talabani in their meeting.

''Some US agents in the region are the middle men for implementing American policies and creating an insecure Iraq ...

''Supporting terrorist groups in Iraq and igniting insecurity ... will be very dangerous for America's agents and also the region,'' Khamenei said without naming who the agents were.

Iraqis fear a new wave of sectarian blood-letting after a bombing on Thursday killed 202 people, the worst such attack since the US invasion in 2003.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Iraq had been pushed closer to civil war and has called for Iran and Syria to help.

''In case of Iraq's request, Iran will do its utmost to help establish security in Iraq,'' Khamenei said, adding that Iran wanted a secure and developed neighbour.

Talabani said at the start of his visit on Monday Iraq wanted Iran's assistance.

''HOW TO GET TO THE TABLE'' Washington is facing growing calls to enter a dialogue with Iran to help end the violence. The White House said the issue of talking to Iran and Syria about Iraq was likely to be raised at a meeting this week between President George W Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Bush said today conditions for the United States to hold direct talks with Tehran, which Washington accuses of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, had not changed.

''As far as the United States goes, Iran knows how to get to the table with us, which is to do that which they said they would do, which is verifiably suspend their enrichment programme,'' he said during a press conference in Tallinn.

Washington and other Western powers insist Iran must suspend sensitive atomic work before negotiations start over a package of economic and political incentives offered by six world powers as a reward for such a halt.

Iran has refused to stop and insists it does not seek atomic bombs but only wants nuclear technology to make electricity.

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