Iraqi prime minister defends conduct, says he’s not trying to change outcome of race

Iraqi PM: Not trying to change election outcome

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi prime minister says he is not trying to change the results of the March 7 election by lodging complaints about the process. He says he simply wants to remove any suspicion over the race.

Nouri al-Maliki has vociferously challenged the election results, which gave his secular challenger, Ayad Allawi, a two-seat lead and possibly the first chance at forming a government.

The prime minister has called for a recount of the votes.

In a news conference Wednesday, al-Maliki said his bloc has submitted legal complaints and will abide by any decision made.

He said the recount was not designed to remove or add seats to any list but to provide reassurances that the process was above suspicion.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is calling on his supporters and other Iraqis to vote in a referendum this weekend to decide which political leader he should support for prime minister.

Al-Sadr’s hardline, religious Shiite party, which won 39 of the 325 parliamentary seats in the March 7 election, has emerged as a key powerbroker whose support will prove crucial in determining which of the two leading blocs will form the next government.

A spokesman for al-Sadr, Salah al-Obaidi, said Wednesday the referendum results would be binding on the party. The voting would be Friday and Saturday at al-Sadr offices, mosques and other sites across the country.

Al-Sadr first called for the referendum Tuesday on his Web site.