By opening the door to a high-level dialogue with Iran and Syria, the US appears to be embracing a diplomatic strategy that its critics have long said was essential to stabilise Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki invited neighbouring countries and world powers on Wednesday to a March 10 meeting in Baghdad, saying he hoped it would help bring reconciliation and support for his government.

Leaders of two nations faced with strong international pressure — Iran for its nuclear programme and Sudan because of the conflict in Darfur — closed ranks on Wednesday as Sudan’s Omar Bashir and visiting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran gushed in support of one another.

 King Abdullah on Wednesday called on the international community to intensify efforts “at this stage” to revive the Middle East peace process.

Most Westerners know comparatively little about Saudi Arabia and its House of Saud rulers. Yet Western powers — first Britain, then the United States — have been instrumental in elevating the House of Saud to the position it currently occupies and in maintaining its rule against all odds.

LONDON  —  World powers agreed on Monday to work on a new UN Security Council resolution to put pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme but remained committed to seeking a negotiated solution, British officials said.

ANKARA (AFP) — The president of Iraqi Kurdistan called on Turkey for face-to-face talks to end high-running tensions over Turkish Kurd rebels based in his autonomous region in northern Iraq, in a television interview broadcast here Monday. His appeal coincides with remarks by Turkish officials that they are ready to …

King visits Talabani at hospital, doctor says president suffers from extreme exhaustion, dehydration BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s Shiite vice president narrowly escaped assassination Monday as a blast ripped through a government meeting hall just hours after it was searched by US teams with bomb-sniffing dogs. At least 10 people were …

Mishaal in Moscow to enlist Russian help to end sanctions RAMALLAH — One Palestinian was killed yesterday in an ongoing Israeli military incursion into Nablus that started Sunday and which the Israeli army has described as “open-ended”. It is the largest Israeli incursion into the West Bank in months, with …

KING ABDULLAH AND Saudi King Abdullah on Monday held talks on developments in the Palestinian territories and Iraq, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. During talks in Riyadh, the two leaders stressed the importance of unifying Palestinian ranks and working with the international community to end the suffering of the …