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| Shiite Leader in Iraq Urges Quick Decision on New Government | Shiite Leader in Iraq Urges Quick Decision on New Government |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| BAGHDAD — Iraq’s top Shiite cleric on Friday urged the country’s divided political factions to select a prime minister by early next week, in a public call for a political solution that increases the pressure on the embattled prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. | |
| Speaking from the holy city of Karbala, Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, a cleric representing Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, called on Iraq’s political blocs to select a new leader before the recently elected Parliament sits on Monday. | Speaking from the holy city of Karbala, Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, a cleric representing Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, called on Iraq’s political blocs to select a new leader before the recently elected Parliament sits on Monday. |
| Delivering the message from the grand ayatollah, he also urged the factions to select a parliamentary speaker and a president, and for the country to remain whole. | Delivering the message from the grand ayatollah, he also urged the factions to select a parliamentary speaker and a president, and for the country to remain whole. |
| “Iraqis have passed bigger crises than this in the past history,” he said. “We must not think of dividing Iraq as part of a solution for the current crises, the solution must protect the unity of Iraq and the rights of all its sects.” | “Iraqis have passed bigger crises than this in the past history,” he said. “We must not think of dividing Iraq as part of a solution for the current crises, the solution must protect the unity of Iraq and the rights of all its sects.” |
| The grand ayatollah’s message came as the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, challenged both the central government’s authority and the cleric’s wishes. | The grand ayatollah’s message came as the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, challenged both the central government’s authority and the cleric’s wishes. |
| On a tour of Kirkuk, the long-contested and oil-rich northern city that Kurds claim as their own, Mr. Barzani said on Thursday that the city would remain in Kurdish hands. He repeated his position on Friday. | On a tour of Kirkuk, the long-contested and oil-rich northern city that Kurds claim as their own, Mr. Barzani said on Thursday that the city would remain in Kurdish hands. He repeated his position on Friday. |
| The challenges to Mr. Maliki underscored the intractable nature of Iraq’s political problems even as fighting rages in many areas of the country and large swaths of territory are out of government control. | The challenges to Mr. Maliki underscored the intractable nature of Iraq’s political problems even as fighting rages in many areas of the country and large swaths of territory are out of government control. |
| No obvious or broadly supported successor to Mr. Maliki has emerged, making it uncertain how political blocs might select a new prime minister by the grand ayatollah’s suggested deadline. | No obvious or broadly supported successor to Mr. Maliki has emerged, making it uncertain how political blocs might select a new prime minister by the grand ayatollah’s suggested deadline. |
| Mr. Maliki, for his part, did not address the grand ayatollah’s message. In a taped speech broadcast Friday afternoon, he assured viewers that Parliament would meet on Monday and that Iraq’s security forces were keeping the capital secure. It was not clear whether his address had been taped before or after the grand ayatollah’s message. | Mr. Maliki, for his part, did not address the grand ayatollah’s message. In a taped speech broadcast Friday afternoon, he assured viewers that Parliament would meet on Monday and that Iraq’s security forces were keeping the capital secure. It was not clear whether his address had been taped before or after the grand ayatollah’s message. |
| Iraq has been effectively partitioned by violence since Sunni militants overran government forces in the north and west of the country earlier this month. | Iraq has been effectively partitioned by violence since Sunni militants overran government forces in the north and west of the country earlier this month. |
| After Iraq’s army and police forces faltered, Kurdish forces, known as pesh merga, rushed to Kirkuk, and have become the de facto authorities there, further limiting Mr. Maliki’s reach. Mr. Barzani has used the crisis to expand Kurdish claims. | After Iraq’s army and police forces faltered, Kurdish forces, known as pesh merga, rushed to Kirkuk, and have become the de facto authorities there, further limiting Mr. Maliki’s reach. Mr. Barzani has used the crisis to expand Kurdish claims. |
| “I am here to inform our troops to confront any attack against Kirkuk by force and there will be no withdrawal for pesh merga from these areas anymore,” Mr. Barzani said. | “I am here to inform our troops to confront any attack against Kirkuk by force and there will be no withdrawal for pesh merga from these areas anymore,” Mr. Barzani said. |
| “ًWe have presented many sacrifices in the past.” he added. “Our lands have resorted to their origin identity.” | “ًWe have presented many sacrifices in the past.” he added. “Our lands have resorted to their origin identity.” |
| Mr. Barzani restated this position on Friday in Erbil, the Kurdish capital, during an appearance with the British foreign secretary, William Hague. | Mr. Barzani restated this position on Friday in Erbil, the Kurdish capital, during an appearance with the British foreign secretary, William Hague. |
| The militants, from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, had controlled portions of Anbar Province and have also been fighting again in a Sunni area just south of Baghdad since early this year. | The militants, from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, had controlled portions of Anbar Province and have also been fighting again in a Sunni area just south of Baghdad since early this year. |
| Their swift advance through the north in early June has threatened to pull the country into civil war and divide it into zones defined by ethnicity or sect. | Their swift advance through the north in early June has threatened to pull the country into civil war and divide it into zones defined by ethnicity or sect. |
| The ISIS military campaign had appeared to crest, however, as Iraq’s remaining security forces, backed by Shiite volunteers and militias, rushed to the field to block the militants from reaching Shiite-dominated areas and shrines. | The ISIS military campaign had appeared to crest, however, as Iraq’s remaining security forces, backed by Shiite volunteers and militias, rushed to the field to block the militants from reaching Shiite-dominated areas and shrines. |
| Fighting has continued in several areas each day. But there have been fewer major shifts on the ground. | Fighting has continued in several areas each day. But there have been fewer major shifts on the ground. |
| On Friday, there were reports that the Iraqi Army had had at least a minor success in Tikrit after a series of airstrikes and after airlifting troops into the northern part of the city. | On Friday, there were reports that the Iraqi Army had had at least a minor success in Tikrit after a series of airstrikes and after airlifting troops into the northern part of the city. |
| The forces had reportedly established positions at the Salahuddin University and at a sprawling former American and Iraqi base, once known as Contingency Operating Base Speicher. | The forces had reportedly established positions at the Salahuddin University and at a sprawling former American and Iraqi base, once known as Contingency Operating Base Speicher. |
| Witnesses said that the militants had evacuated about 50 wounded fighters from Tikrit’s main hospital, and that about 100 vehicles carrying ISIS militants had left the city on their way to Hawija, a Sunni stronghold north of the city. | Witnesses said that the militants had evacuated about 50 wounded fighters from Tikrit’s main hospital, and that about 100 vehicles carrying ISIS militants had left the city on their way to Hawija, a Sunni stronghold north of the city. |
| The militants, witnesses said, also had a less visible presence on Tikrit’s streets. Whether this signaled a significant withdrawal or a decision to slip into hiding ahead of an anticipated attack was not immediately clear. | The militants, witnesses said, also had a less visible presence on Tikrit’s streets. Whether this signaled a significant withdrawal or a decision to slip into hiding ahead of an anticipated attack was not immediately clear. |