(2004-08-26) -- Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Shia Islam's most revered leader, today returned to its most revered holy city and said that only one man has the credibility to broker a peace deal between Iraqi government forces and revered cleric Muqtada al-Sadr whose forces remain entrenched in the most holy Imam Ali Shrine.

"Yassir Arafat is our only hope now for peace in Najaf," said a spokesman for Mr. al-Sistani. "The situation has intensified beyond the peace-making capabilities of the Grand Ayatollah, of Jimmy Carter or even of the Rev. Jesse Jackson. We need Nobel Peace laureate Arafat."