BAGHDAD, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- A strong earthquake measuring 6.3 magnitude on Sunday hit the border area between Iraq and Iran and was felt in the capital Baghdad and many provinces, an Iraqi seismic monitor said.

The earthquake took place at 7:37 p.m. (1637 GMT) with its epicenter in Qaser Shireen border area inside Iran, some 30 km from the Iraqi border town of Khanaqin, the Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology said in a statement.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the focus of the earthquake lied at the depth of 33.9 km. Enditem