BAGHDAD - Nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Iranian-backed militia chief Hadi al-Amiri, who won first and second place respectively in Iraq's May parliamentary election, announced on Tuesday an alliance between their political blocs.
The announcement came at a joint press conference in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, state television said.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said he opposed any repeat of the May 12 parliamentary election, and warned that anyone who tried to sabotage the political process would be punished, after allegations of electoral fraud raised tensions.