An aide to Iraq's radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr says al-Sadr will disband his Mahdi Army if senior Shi'ite religious leaders call for it.
The aide Hussein al-Zarqani said on Monday that al-Sadr will consult Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and other top Shi'ite clerics in Iraq and Iran on whether to break up the militia.
The aide said al-Sadr would follow the religious leaders' orders.
Earlier today, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told U.S. media, CNN the Mahdi Army must disband if al-Sadr's followers want to join the political process and participate in upcoming elections.
Al-Sadr's spokesmen earlier said the prime minister does not have the right to interfere in Iraq's election process.
Al-Sadr's followers are planning to participate in provincial elections later this year that could redistribute power in Iraq.
The aide Hussein al-Zarqani said on Monday that al-Sadr will consult Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and other top Shi'ite clerics in Iraq and Iran on whether to break up the militia.
The aide said al-Sadr would follow the religious leaders' orders.
Earlier today, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told U.S. media, CNN the Mahdi Army must disband if al-Sadr's followers want to join the political process and participate in upcoming elections.
Al-Sadr's spokesmen earlier said the prime minister does not have the right to interfere in Iraq's election process.
Al-Sadr's followers are planning to participate in provincial elections later this year that could redistribute power in Iraq.