Ahamdinejad approaches Italy on Mideast crisis

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said in a letter to Italian Premier Romano Prodi that his country is ready to consult with Italy on Middle East issues, the premier's office said Friday. The letter, delivered to Prodi by an Iranian diplomat, comes a day after France, Italy and Spain presented a Middle East peace initiative, asserting that Europe must step forward to try to end years of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed.