Sistani calls for calm, reports Iraqi state TV

Iraqi state television is reporting comments apparently made by revered Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in which he called all citizens, including those living in mixed-sect areas, to exercise "self-control" and to stay away from armed demonstrations taking place outside the legal framework.

According to Noon News Agency, a representative from the scholar's office urged Iraqis to avoid any nationalist or sectarian behaviour harmful to national unity and the social fabric of Iraq.

These comments, if verified, would represent a major turnaround for Sistani, who on Friday called on Iraqis to volunteer to "bear arms and fight terrorists."