By Daniel Williams April 4 (Bloomberg) — Three bombs exploded in Baghdad today as political parties hold talks on forming a new Iraqi government following last month’s parliamentary elections. Al-Jazeera, an Arabic language satellite television channel, said the car bombs, which hit almost simultaneously this morning, killed at least 30 people. One exploded outside the Iranian embassy, another in western Mansour district, and a third detonated near the German ambassador’s residence on a street that houses several other legations. Men disguised as soldiers yesterday killed 25 people in an assault on a village on the southern outskirts of Baghdad. Talks among major political factions to form a new government continue. The March 7 vote followed largely ethnic and religious lines and no party won a majority of the 325 seats at stake. Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s secular Iraqiya bloc won 91 seats to the 89 secured by incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Shiite State of Law group. The two men are rivals to become prime minister and need allies to obtain a majority of 163 seats. Delays in forming a new government may hamper President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce U.S. troop strength in Iraq from 96,000 to 50,000 by August. The Iraqi government that emerges will face disputes over sharing oil revenue among regions and whether to include the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in the Kurdish autonomous region, as well as coping with hostilities between Shiites and Sunnis. To contact the reporters on this story: Daniel Williams in Cairo at dwilliams41@bloomberg.net .
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At Least 35 Killed in Baghdad Blasts; Iran, Egyptian Embassies Targeted
