WASHINGTON - Iraqi officials say Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad confirmed Sunday that his government will attend a major international conference on Iraq set for this week in Egypt.

A statement from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s office said Mr. Ahmadinejad telephoned the Iraqi leader and told him Tehran would participate.

The announcement came shortly after Iran said it is sending its top national security official, Ali Larijani, to Baghdad for talks about the conference.

The two-day conference starts Thursday in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will attend the conference along with delegates from Iraq’s neighbors and representatives from the United Nations.

The top U.S. commander in Iraq has accused Iran’s elite Quds force of aiding a secret extremist network in Iraq.

Army General David Petraeus told reporters at the Defense Department Thursday that the Khazali network received funding, training on Iranian soil, and advanced munitions and technology from Quds, as well as advice and direction.

He said the United States does not have evidence of higher-level Iranian involvement.

Source:  VOA News