Iranian cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc announced Sunday that it is lifting its nearly two-month political boycott after reaching a compromise over its demands for a timetable for Iraqi forces to take over security and the withdrawal of U.S. forces, the Associated Press reported. «We announce our return to parliament, we will attend today's session, and the ministers will resume their work to serve the people,» said Bahaa al-Araji, one of 30 lawmakers loyal to al-Sadr. He spoke during a news conference attended by Sunni parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani. Al-Sadr also has six loyalist ministers in the 38-member Cabinet. The bloc announced on Nov. 29 that it was suspending its participation in the parliament and government to protest a summit between Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and U.S. President George W. Bush at which the two were expected to discuss increasing American troops levels to stop the spiraling violence in Baghdad. The Sadrists lifted the suspension after parliament agreed to form a committee to study and discuss their demands, which include setting a timetable for Iraqi forces to take over security and the withdrawal of U.S. forces. «We formed a committee from the parliamentary blocs and this committee has studied the demands,» al-Masshadani said. «We bless the return of the Sadrist bloc.»
