海角大神

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel聽Abdul聽Mahdi聽announced his resignation on Friday after the country鈥檚 top Shi鈥檌te Muslim cleric urged lawmakers to reconsider their support for a government rocked by weeks of deadly anti-establishment unrest.

The move was the latest twist in an unprecedented crisis for war-weary Iraq, which has struggled to recover from decades of conflict, civil unrest, and sanctions.

Young, unemployed, and unarmed protesters have led calls for an overhaul of a political system they say is endemically corrupt and serves foreign powers, especially Baghdad鈥檚 ally Tehran.

The departure of聽Mr. Abdul聽Mahdi聽could be a blow for Iranian influence after Iran鈥檚 militia allies and its own commanders intervened last month to keep the premier in place despite mass anti-government unrest.

Iraq鈥檚 biggest unrest for years pits protesters from Shi鈥檌te heartlands in Baghdad and the south against a corrupt Shi鈥檌te-dominated ruling elite seen as pawns of Iran.

Iraq鈥檚 current political class is drawn mainly from powerful Shi鈥檌te politicians, clerics, and paramilitary leaders including many who lived in exile before a U.S.-led invasion overthrew Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 鈥� including聽Mr. Abdul聽Mahdi.

鈥淚n response to this (the cleric鈥檚) call, and in order to facilitate it as quickly as possible, I will present to parliament a demand (to accept) my resignation from the leadership of the current government,鈥� a statement signed by聽Mr. Abdul聽Mahdi聽said.

The statement did not say when he would resign. Parliament is to convene an emergency session on Sunday to discuss the crisis.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani earlier urged parliament to considering withdrawing its support for聽Mr. Abdul聽Mahdi鈥榮 government to stem spiraling violence.

Iraqi protesters celebrated the imminent departure of聽Mr. Abdul聽Mahdi, but said they would not stop their demonstrations until the whole of the political class was removed. Violence continued in southern Iraq.

鈥淎bdul聽Mahdi鈥榮 resignation is just the beginning. We鈥檒l stay in the streets until the entire government has gone, and all the rest of the corrupt politicians,鈥� said Mustafa Hafidh, a protester at Baghdad鈥檚 Tahrir Square.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not enough,鈥� said Ali al-Sayeda, another demonstrator. 鈥淲e need them all out, root and branch. We can鈥檛 let up the pressure.鈥�

Violence unabated

Security forces meanwhile shot dead at least three people in the southern city of Nassiriya as clashes continued. In Najaf, unidentified armed men shot live rounds at demonstrators sending dozens scattering.

Iraqi forces have killed nearly 400 mostly young, unarmed demonstrators since mass anti-government protests broke out on Oct. 1. More than a dozen members of the security forces have also died in clashes.

The burning of Iran鈥檚 consulate in the holy city of Najaf on Wednesday escalated violence and drew a brutal response from security forces who shot dead more than 60 people nationwide on Thursday.

Mr. al-Sistani, who only weighs in on politics in times of crisis and wields huge influence over public opinion, on Friday warned against an explosion of civil strife and tyranny. He urged government forces to stop killing protests and protesters themselves to reject all violence.

The government 鈥渁ppears to have been unable to deal with the events of the past two months ... parliament, from which the current government emerged, must reconsider its choices and do what鈥檚 in the interest of Iraq,鈥� a representative of Mr. al-Sistani聽said in a televised sermon.

Protesters 鈥渕ust not allow peaceful demonstrations to be turned into attacks on property or people,鈥� he said.

Wednesday鈥檚 attack on the Iranian consulate in Najaf set off a sharp escalation of violence.

On Thursday, security forces shot dead 46 people in another southern city, Nassiriya, 18 in Najaf and four in Baghdad bringing the death toll from weeks of unrest to at least 417, most of them unarmed protesters, according to a Reuters tally from medical and police sources.

Clashes between protesters and security forces broke out early on Friday in Nassiriya killing three people and wounding several others, hospital sources said.

Iraq鈥檚 鈥渆nemies and their apparatuses are trying to sow chaos and infighting to return the country to the age of dictatorship ... everyone must work together to thwart that opportunity,鈥� Mr. al-Sistani聽said, without elaborating.

This story was reported by Reuters.