The political movement led by Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr has pulled out of the Iraqi government to protest against the continuing US presence in the country.
Nassar al-Rubaie, head of the bloc, said on Monday: "Al-Sadr's ministers will withdraw immediately and give the six cabinet seats to the government."
Al-Rubaie was reading out a statement on behalf of al-Sadr.
"We found it necessary to issue an order to the ministers of the Sadrist bloc to withdraw immediately from the Iraqi government," al-Rubaie told a news conference.
The move is unlikely to bring down the government of Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, but it could create tensions in his fractious government of national unity.
'No need for timetable'
The Sadrists have said they would remain in parliament.
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"The chances of success [in Iraq] are essentially zero because the Iraqi people have no voice"
Non Sequitur, Cadiz, Spain
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Al-Maliki has said he sees no need to set a timetable for an American troop withdrawal because his government was working to build up Iraq's security forces as quickly as possible so the US-led forces could leave.
Last week, tens of thousands of Iraqis answered a call by al-Sadr to rally in Najaf to protest against the presence of about 140,000 US-led troops in Iraq.
The Sadrists ended a two-month boycott of parliament in January after pulling out in protest over the timetable issue and a meeting between al-Maliki and George Bush, the US president.