BAGHDAD/ Aswat al-Iraq: Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr rejected any demonstration against the government, describing the western areas demonstrations as "politicized for foreign countries and Baath Party".

He called religious leaders who supported them to withdraw "to protect the unity of the Iraqi people".

In a statement issued today, copy received by Aswat al-Iraq, he added "though we supported western Iraq demonstrations, we realized that these were politicized by foreign countries and the dissolved Baath Party".

"Thus, we reject any demonstration against the government to prevent the return of the Baath Party due to the latest speech of ex-regime vice president Izzat al-Douri and raising the old flags and pictures of late Saddam Hussein", he elaborated.