Iran leader links attacks in region to foreign states

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) listens to a speech by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a ceremony for Ahmadinejad's confirmation as Iran's President in Tehran August 3, 2009.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's top authority said on Monday the perpetrators of recent attacks in the region aimed to sow discord among Muslims and were linked to foreign countries.

"Bloody acts in some Islamic countries, including Iraq, Pakistan and some parts of our country, are aimed at creating divisions among Muslims, Sunnis and Shi'ites," state television quoted Khamenei as saying.

"Therefore unity among Muslims is very important," he said.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking a day after two suicide bombs killed more than 150 people in Baghdad, in one of Iraq's bloodiest attacks in years.

In a suicide bombing in southeastern Iran on October 18, more than 40 people died, including senior commanders of the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards. Both Iran and Iraq are predominantly Shi'ite Muslim countries, with Sunni minorities.

Iranian officials have accused intelligence services of Britain, the United States and Pakistan of backing the Sunni rebel group which claimed last week's bombing attack in Sistan-Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan. London, Washington and Islamabad deny involvement.

"Those who commit these bloody terrorist actions, directly or indirectly, are related to foreign countries," Khamenei said.

(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi; writing by Fredrik Dahl; editing by Samia Nakhoul)