The United States accused Iran after talks yesterday of having increased support for Shi'ite Muslim militias involved in bloodshed in Iraq.

The US Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said after meeting his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazimi Qomi, much of the dialogue at the meeting was not "terribly relevant", but that Washington, Tehran and Baghdad had agreed to form a trilateral security committee to address Iraq's spiralling violence.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the Baghdad talks had been "very challenging".

Crocker said both the US and Iran agreed on the principle of supporting a democratic and stable Iraq but added:

"The challenge is applying those principles on the ground."

PHOTO CAPTION

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker speaks during a news conference after meeting the Iranian Ambassador Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, in Baghdad July 24, 2007. (Reuters)