Sheik Hassan al-Zarqani, in an interview with Alalam News Network, said Iraqi sovereignty is a key issue for the followers of Moqtada Sadr.

Sadr in a public statement Thursday urged Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki not to sign an agreement that does not include the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of next year.

Zarqani suggested the government should wait until President George W. Bush leaves office, signing an agreement with the next administration. He criticized the Bush administration for sending mixed messages about a U.S. pullout and ignoring Iraqi opposition to any agreement that would allow U.S. forces to remain in the country.