New York  - The Iraqi government on Friday demanded a United Nations Security Council investigation into a deadly bomb attack in August that targeted key ministries and which it said could have paralyzed the country and region.

The attack on August 19 against the ministries of foreign affairs and finance in Baghdad killed a "large number of civilians," including diplomatic and government officials, the Iraqi government said in a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The letter was made public after its translation into English.

"Had the attacks managed to achieve their full aims, the result would have been paralysis of the state and its apparatus," the letter said, adding this could have affected security and peace in the Middle East.

Iraq has called for an international investigation by the 15- nation council.

"The magnitude of these crimes demands that they be addressed immediately by the international community," the letter said.  dpa