Iran inciting Iraqi violence: Bush

"If there's any kind of influence from a foreign country that is disruptive, any kind of influence -- if the Iranians are trying to influence the outcome of the political process, or the outcome of the security situation there, we're letting them know our displeasure," he told reporters after a meeting on Iraq at the White House.

"Our call is for those in the neighbourhood to allow ... Iraq to develop a democracy. And that includes our call to Iran, as well as to Syria," Bush said.

Bush met with General Montgomery Meigs, who leads a task force to counter the improvised explosive devices that militants have used to cause many casualties among US soldiers.

"We face an enemy that will use explosive devices in order to shake our will; in order to foment violence in Iraq; in order to try to convince the American people that we can't win in Iraq," Bush said.

"There were some people trying to, obviously, foment sectarian violence," he added. "Some have called it a civil war. But it didn't work."