Iraqi cleric calls for dissolution of parliament, early vote

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and SAMYA KULLAB
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has told his followers to continue their sit-in inside Iraq’s government zone, and called for the dissolution of the parliament and early elections. Speaking on Wednesday for the first time since thousands of his followers stormed the parliament building in Baghdad on Saturday, al-Sadr said the “revolutionaries” must stay and continue their sit-in. Al-Sadr hinted that appeals by his political rivals to negotiate did not bear fruit. He says: “There is no point in continuing dialogue with them, the people have said their word.”