Related: Jaafari leaves Iraqi PM decision to his bloc

Iraqi leaders on Thursday decided to postpone a parliament session until Saturday.(Photo: Xinhua)

    BAGHDAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi leaders on Thursday decided to postpone a parliament session until Saturday, hours after Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said his Shiite alliance will decide on his fate.

    "The political blocs agreed to postpone today's parliament session at the request of the Shiite alliance until Saturday afternoon," Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman told reporters.

    He said the dominating United Iraqi Alliance promised it would make the decision on the premier candidacy by Saturday.

    The long-awaited session, which was originally due on Monday, was postponed due to the ongoing political stalemate over who should head the next government.

    Just hours ago, Jaafari surprisingly backed off from his insistence on heading the next government, saying that it is up to his Shiite alliance to make the final decision.

    The Iraqi parliament convened an inaugural session on March 16 in order to press ahead with the political process after the December election.

    Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni political leaders have been at odds over who should be the next prime minister as Kurds and Sunnis oppose the Shiite alliance's choice of incumbent Jaafari for a second term. Enditem