Baghdad - Iraq received on Thursday Washington's reply on the security agreement that will regulate the future of US forces in Iraq, the Iraqi government spokesperson said.

Ali al-Dabbagh, however did not say if the US had accepted the Iraqi amendments or not, al-Arabiya TV channel said.

The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) aims to regulate the future of US troops in Iraq after the UN mandate expires at the end of 2008.

Iraqi media had previously said that the US has agreed to three out of the five amendments that Iraq made to the agreement.

Although both parties had agreed in mid-October that the last draft was final, last week the Iraqi government had handed the US embassy in Baghdad an amended draft.

Among the disputed points in the agreement is the immunity of the US troops in Iraq. Iraq said that US troops who commit crimes off duty should be judged according to Iraqi law, meanwhile the US wants them to be handed to US authorities for trial. (dpa)