Shiite Religious March Demonstrates Political Power

BAGHDAD — Hundreds of thousands of Shiites marched to a gold-domed mosque in harsh heat and sun yesterday in a pilgrimage of devotion to an 8th-century saint that also starkly demonstrated their political power.

Only scattered strikes by Sunni insurgents marred the event, held amid tight security to avoid the attacks that have occurred during past gatherings.

"Long live Moqtada!" some pilgrims shouted as they paraded toward the Imam al-Kadhim shrine, referring to radical Shiite leader Moqtada al Sadr, whose Mahdi army is accused of death squad attacks. "May God kill his enemies!" A few shook their fists at American soldiers standing alongside the procession route, but the march was mostly peaceful.

Many said they intended their presence to show they could not be intimidated by Sunni insurgents who have devastated past gatherings, and who regularly target Shiites at markets and on buses.

"I have come here to get the blessing of the martyr imam and to challenge the terrorism of the Wahhabists," said Hussein Mizaal, a 21-year-old college student from southeastern Baghdad. He was referring to the austere Wahhabi strain of Sunni Islam, practiced mostly in Saudi Arabia but also identified with Sunni insurgents.

"We are not afraid of anyone except God," Mr. Mizaal said.

The march comes as Iraq's government remains sharply divided, unable to meet key American-sought benchmarks like a new oil law. Prime Minister al-Maliki, a Shiite who heads the unity government but is accused of bias by Sunnis, was in Iran to talk about security and electricity deals.

Separately, the American military announced the deaths of two Marines in Anbar province west of Baghdad — one in fighting and the other in a noncombat incident. Both died Tuesday.

In addition, two British soldiers were killed early yesterday by a roadside bombing in southern Iraq, north of the Rumaylah oil fields, the Ministry of Defense said.

At the meetings in Tehran, Iranian officials told Mr. Maliki they were doing all they could to help stabilize his nation, but insisted that only an American pullout would bring true peace.

Mr. Maliki told reporters later that he did not discuss the issue of American forces with the Iranians.