Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraq's interim vice-president, was virtually assured on Tuesday of becoming prime minister in the new government after his candidacy was accepted by the United Iraqi Alliance, the Shia-led bloc that swept the country's elections.

The Alliance's decision followed a week of negotiations among parties within the bloc and after the withdrawal of two leading challengers, Ahmed Chalabi of the Iraqi National Congress and Adel Abdul Mahdi of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.