"Weapons must be in the hands of government security forces that should not be tied to political parties but to the nation," Sistani was quoted as saying in a statement released after his meeting with Iraq's prime minister designate Nuri al-Maliki in the southern holy city of Najaf.

Maliki, who was chosen to be Iraq's next premier last week, is under pressure to form a power-sharing government that would curb sectarian violence, allegedly fuelled by Shiite militias operating within the country's interior ministry.

These militias have been accused by Sunni politicians of killing hundreds of Sunni Arabs following the bombing of a Shiite shrine in the northern town of Samarra in February.

"The first task for the government is fighting insecurity and putting an end to the terrorist acts that threaten innocents with death and kidnapping," Sistani's statement said.

The cleric added that the new cabinet needed "capable and honest people who have a good reputation and care about national interests, not personal, religious or sectarian interests."

Sistani said special attention needed to be paid to fighting corruption and getting infrastructure, like water and electricity, "back up and running."

The revered figure has ventured into the political realm periodically since the US-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003.

He also pressured the Americans to expedite the path to democratic elections and was the guiding force behind the creation of the Shiites' powerful political coalition in parliament, the United Iraqi Alliance.