Iraq's new parliament convenes to choose Prime Minister

Baghdad: Iraq's new parliament has convened amid pressure on lawmakers to quickly choose a new Prime Minster who can confront a militant blitz that threatens to rip the country apart.

The inaugural session opened on Tuesday with the playing of Iraq's national anthem. The legislature’s oldest member, Mahdi al-Hafidh, chairs the proceedings.

The country's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged lawmakers last week to agree on a prime minister, president and parliament speaker before meeting in hopes of averting months of wrangling that could further destabilize the country.

But the prospects of a quick compromise appear distant, and embattled incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki - whose bloc won the most seats in April elections - has shown little willingness to step aside.