Shafaq News– NajafIraq’s top Shiite religiousauthority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has reaffirmed his refusal tointervene in the selection of a candidate for prime minister, maintaining theMarja’iya’s long-standing distance from government formation.According to information obtained byShafaq News on Sunday, Mohammed Reza al-Sistani, the cleric’s eldest son,delivered the response to a recent message from the Coordination Framework (CF)—the Shiite alliance that recently emerged as the largest parliamentary bloc— andvoiced discomfort over its repeated efforts to involve the authority.Widely regarded as the highestreligious authority for Iraq’s Shiite community, al-Sistani commands theallegiance of millions of followers who turn to him for guidance on religious,social, and political matters. An informed source previously told Shafaq News that the Framework sought guidance last month from the Najaf-basedMarja’iya on government formation and potential nominees, but received noresponse, consistent with its long-standing refusal to engage directly withpolitical actors. Under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharingarrangement, the presidency is allocated to a Kurd, the premiership to aShiite, and the speakership to a Sunni Arab. Talks within the CF on forming thenext government continue, amid public debate over a possible third term forformer prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.: Iraq begins 90-day countdown to form government as political fault lines re-emerge