PM hails polls as new era

Iyad Allawi cast his ballot, hailing country's first free election since 1953 as the start of a new era.

Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi cast his ballot Sunday, hailing the country's first free election since 1953 as the start of a new era.

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"The most obvious aspect of the success of this election today is that they are being held at the scheduled date. This is an accomplishment the government and myself are very proud of," he told reporters after casting his vote.

"This is the start of a new era, for the first time, Iraqis are deciding on their own future and defying the terrorist forces," he added.

Allawi voted in a special VIP polling station guarded by the US military and private security inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, home to the US embassy and the Iraqi government.