Iraq Ayatollah calls for new parliament to start work without delay

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani called on Friday for the newly elected parliament to begin work and start the process of forming the next government without delay.

A sermon by Sistani, highest religious authority for the country's Shi'ite Muslims, was read out by his representative Sayed Ahmed al-Saafi at the Imam Hussein shrine in Kerbala. It called for parliament to convene after Iraq's federal court ratified election results this week.