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Shiite Cleric Demands Direct Iraq Elections

HeadlineJan 12, 2004

On Sunday Iraq’s most senior Shi’ite Muslim cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, warned of increased political tensions and violence if direct elections are not held within months. Sistani has refused to back the U.S. plan to use indirect elections to form a transitional Iraq assembly that would then form an interim government.

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