![Iraqi president hosts leaders to break constitution stalemate](https://www.jurist.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/jurist-white-text.png)
[JURIST] Iraqi President Jalal Talabani [Wikipedia profile] welcomed a diverse group of leaders to his Baghdad residence on Sunday in an effort to sort out the remaining stumbling blocks [JURIST report] in the Iraq constitution [JURIST news archive]. Talabani also met with the US ambassador, who on Saturday had cautioned Iraq against creating a hard-line Islamic state based on Islamic law with limited rights for women and minorities. Talabani said there was "no pressure" on negotiators from foreign officials. Reuters has more.
10:25 AM ET ~ Talks that were scheduled to continue Monday have been postponed because of a sandstorm that has impeded travel. No breaks resulted from Sunday's talks. AP has more.