In Iraq, 17 people were killed in two bomb blasts today in Najaf and Karbala. According to Iraqi news agency, at least seven people have been killed and several other injured in a car bomb blast near one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites in the city of Najaf this afternoon. Ambulances and security forces rushed to the scene and wounded have been taken to a nearby hospital while security forces cordoned off the area. The blast came hours after a car bombing in Karbala, another holy Shiite city south of Baghdad, also killed ten people, including six Iranian pilgrims.38 people were injured in the blast.Meanwhile Iraqi parties are meeting in Arabil in northern Iraq today to reach a consensus on new government. Iraqi Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh yesterday announced that Iraqi Prime Minister Noorie al Maliki and former Prime minister Allawi along with the leaders of Kurdish Alliance have reached a deal on government formation. The Iraqi parliament would meet on Thursday to choose a speaker, the first step towards forming a new government. Iraq is without a government for more than eight months.AIR correspondent Dhirendra Ojha reports that the blasts came as Iraqi politicians are meeting in the northern city of Irbil in an attempt to form a new government after inconclusive elections in March. Officials say the blast in Najaf went off about 500 yards from the shrine of Imam Ali. Two Iranian pilgrims are among those killed. In a separate incident earlier today a car bomb targeted a bus of Iranian visitors in Karbala.Analysts say that political uncertainty in Iraq is giving chance to terrorists to strike in different parts in the country. Iraq is without a government for more than eight months. Former Prime minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya coalition won 91 seats in the March election – two more than incumbent Prime Minister al-Maliki's State of Law. But neither bloc secured an outright majority. Observers hope that the latest breakthrough which is apparently achieved after both coalitions along with Kurdish Alliance agreed to join the new government is expected to bring stability in the country.