Amman  - The Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party, on Wednesday rejected a plan by the government to send an ambassador to Baghdad, saying the move was inspired by the United States.

"It is a US requirement and there is no Jordanian interest in responding to the agenda of the United States which is hostile to the Arab nation," said Mohammad Bozour, who is in charge of the front's Arab and Islamic affairs section.

The Jordanian government said two weeks ago that it was planning to name a new ambassador to run the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad, which was the scene for a fatal bombing in August 2003.

The issue is expected to figure prominently in talks that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki holds during a visit to Jordan beginning on Thursday.

Bozour criticized the Iraqi government for its failure to honour an agreement signed with Jordan in 2006 to supply it with Iraqi crude at "preferential prices".

"Iraq has also drastically reduced imports of Jordanian goods and no longer uses the Red Sea port of Aqaba as a conduit for Iraqi imports," he said. (dpa)