Following another wave of terrorist attacks in Iraq, Tony Blair has sent a message of support to Britons working on the ground inside the country.

Downing Street has condemned the "evil" terror attacks and has vowed to press ahead with the reconstruction of the country.

The message of support would set out the prime minister's "admiration for the professionalism and courage" of British officials working inside Iraq.

His intervention came as five explosions left over 30 people dead in the Iraqi capital.

The blasts hit the headquarters of the International Red Cross and four police stations in Baghdad.

"The prime minister utterly condemns these evil and wicked attacks," said a Downing Street spokesman.

"The terrorists and criminals responsible for them are obviously the enemies of the Iraqi people in as much as they are deliberately targeting those organisations who are helping to build towards a free and stable Iraq. But that work will continue.''

Meanwhile, Jack Straw said the "coordinated and serious" attacks were a sign of terrorist desperation.

Briefing journalists in Brussels, the foreign secretary insisted the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority had made progress on electricity, sanitation and a national currency.

"One of the reasons for the attacks is that the terrorists are getting desperate as they can see the progress that is being made in one area after another," he said.

Acknowledging that "these coordinated terrorist incidents today are serious", Straw linked the attacks to Iraq's overthrown dictatorship.

"They show the contempt or human life and humanitarian relief that were long shown by the Saddam Hussein regime and its adherents," he said.

Straw ruled out comparisons to Vietnam, pointing out while there had been four United Nations security council resolutions on Iraq, there were none for Vietnam.

"There is no analogy there at all," he said. "There is a common agenda."

Number 10 has also confirmed that honours for service personnel working inside Iraq are to be announced on Friday.