"The gravity of the phase Iraq is undergoing requires the concerned parties to bear their national responsibilities, which require sacrifice and not to cling to posts," al-Sistani said in a statement read by his spokesman Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalaie at today's prayers.
The speech did not name specific leaders.
Last month, al-Sistani called on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki through an intermediary to step aside in the face of a crisis sparked by the lightning advance by Sunni militants, according to a senior member of a prominent Shiite family that has for decades maintained regular contact with al-Sistani. Al-Maliki is currently seeking a third four-year term.