TEHRAN, Dec 22: Iran banned its nationals from travelling to Iraq on Wednesday in the wake of deadly blasts that killed 66 people in Kerbala and Najaf.

"All borders of Iran with Iraq are now closed and movement in or out prohibited until further notice," said a police announcement carried by the official IRNA news agency.

"Due to the worsening situation in Iraq... travel to Iraq's holy cities by Iranian nationals is banned," the statement said, adding that the ban would remain in force "until the security situation improves".

Sunday's twin blasts in the two cities targeted a bus station and a crowded market street prompting warnings of further attempts to provoke sectarian unrest in Iraq in the run-up to elections next month.

Hundreds of thousands of Iranian pilgrims have crossed the border since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein last year to visit Najaf and Kerbala, and other shrines in the north-central city of Samarra and in Qadhimiya, Baghdad. -AFP