Saudi Arabia's king has invited the leaders of Iraq's political blocs for talks in Riyadh aimed at breaking the deadlock over forming a new government. King Abdullah suggested they meet after the Hajj pilgrimage in November. A Sunni-backed bloc led by Iyad Allawi edged PM Nouri Maliki's Shia join a government led by Mr Maliki, but now that pressure is likely to be eased as the focus turns to Saudi Arabia in mid-November. Analysts say that Saudi Arabia – like a number of other Sunni Muslim countries – is worried by the prospect of an Iraqi government dominated by the majority Shia and sympathetic to Iran.