Najaf Shiite cleric calls for dialogue

Chief of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, Ammar al-Hakim, said on Saturday that top Shiite cleric in Najaf called on Political leaders to calm down the situation, underlining the importance of dialogue to end the current political standoff in the country.

“We held talks with top Shiite cleric in Najaf Sheikh Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayad, who asserted the importance of talks among all political leaders and partners to end the current crisis,” al-Hakim told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Members of the SIIC political bureau attended the meeting with the sheikh,” he added.
Najaf lies 160 km south of Baghdad.