Rice to Ignore Iran at Meeting of Iraq's Neighbors

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she has no plans to meet Iran's foreign minister at a conference of Iraq's neighbors next week, amid increasing U.S. complaints about Iranian support for Iraqi insurgents.

Rice told reporters in Washington Thursday that Iran must end its backing for Shia militias and that she would repeat that message at the neighbors' meeting in Kuwait. But she does not intend to press that point directly with her Iranian counterpart, who is also expected to attend the conference.

U.S. officials have stepped up their accusations about Iranian involvement in the insurgency.