The United States and members of the Iraqi Governing Council asked the United Nations last night to send a mission to Baghdad that might help resolve an impasse on electing an interim government by July.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters further discussions were necessary before he could make a decision to dispatch what he called a "technical" team, but diplomats expected a positive response.
Mr Annan also said he had no date for the United Nations to return to Iraq, after withdrawing staff for security reasons in late October, but said he wanted the UN to play a vital role.
At issue is a demand from Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, for direct elections immediately for a provisional government.
The US-led occupation, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), has called for a new national assembly to be set up through a complicated caucus procedure rather than through direct elections.
The interim Iraqi government is timetabled to take power by July 1st after which Iraqis are to write a constitution and plan for elections for a permanent government by the end of 2005.
A Sistani ally told reporters that if the United Nations sent a mission, its findings would be accepted by the Shi'ite leader.