Iraqi deputy PM: Iraq is combat zone for US, Iran

Iraq's deputy prime minister said Iran and the United States were using Iraq as a "zone of conflict and competition" and jeopardizing efforts to stabilize the country. Barham Saleh, a Kurd who has ties with both Tehran and Washington, accused the two countries of stepping on Iraq's sovereignty as they jockeyed for advantage. "Iraqi transition is burdened by many elements of interference in our domestic affairs," Saleh said in an interview with the Associated Press on Sunday.