Car bombs and blasts in at least seven Iraqi cities on Tuesday killed 41 people and injured around 150, on the ninth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, dpa reported.
Iraq has seen a rise in violence in recent months, increasing fears among Iraqis after US troops completed their withdrawal from the country in December.
At least 12 were killed in three car bomb blasts in the northern city of Kirkuk, located some 250 kilometres north of Baghdad.
The attack, near a police headquarters, also wounded 40 people, security sources told dpa.
Five people, including police and army personnel were killed in Mosul city, located around 400 kilometres north of Baghdad. Two explosives have targeted the security patrols in the city.
In the western city of Ramadi, Qassim al-Fahdawi, governor of the Anbar province, escaped a car bomb explosion near his convoy. However, the blast killed killed three people and injured 27.
In central Baghdad, a car bomb in a commercial area killed at least five people and wounded eight, local media said.
In Karbala city, around 100 kilometres south of Baghdad, 13 people were killed in two car bombs. Security sources told dpa that 45 were injured.
Three people were killed in the southern Hilla and Kut cities, which also injured 33.
The consecutive bombings come ahead of an Arab League summit scheduled for March 29 - the first to be held in Iraq in more than 20 years.
Last May, the Arab League postponed a planned Baghdad conference because of turmoil in several Arab countries.
In an apparent bid to encourage Arab leaders to attend this year's meeting, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government has spent around 450 million dollars on preparations, including security and infrastructure, according to local media.
The government has also announced a one week national holiday starting next Sunday, as part of security procedures taken ahead of the summit.