Iraq’s principal Shiite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has informed the interim Iraqi government of his “full support” for elections scheduled for January.

“The grand ayatollah’s message is that elections should be held as scheduled and that he will advise the faithful to take active part,” Sistani’s spokesman Ahmad Safi told Arab News yesterday.
...
Sistani’s support comes as a major boost to plans for the election that is designed to choose a constituent assembly to finalize a draft constitution that will then be submitted to the people in a referendum.

--Arab News