Al-Sadr's chief Shiite political rival, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, said that only Iraqis should control Iraq.

CNN: Iraqi, American death tolls down in May

Although he is far from alone, the central Iraqi leader enabling the Iranian takeover is Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The waning of American will

Absent from Monday's major announcement were two of the most influential Shiite leaders, al-Sadr and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.

CNN: New Iraqi political alliance excludes al-Maliki

Mourners turned out to say goodbye to Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who spent 20 years in exile in Iran before returning to Iraq after U.S.-led forces toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

CNN: Mourning in Iran and Iraq for dead Shiite leader

But if Iraq is to survive, at some point Shiite cleric Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, Sunni cleric Avari(ph), and Kurdish leaders are all going to have to sit together, despite the fact that they fought with one another, and come to an understanding about what the character of the Iraqi nation is going to be.

NPR: Early Divisions at Root of Sunni-Shia Conflict