Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s nomination as prime minister of Iraq is facing stiff opposition, with non-Shia parties actively seeking to block him from forming a government.

According to senior politicians and western diplomats, efforts to prevent Mr Jaafari from establishing a new cabinet have intensified this week as Iraq grapples with an upsurge in sectarian bloodshed following last Wednesday’s bombing of one of Shia Islam’s holiest sites.