Hillary Rebuked by Iraqi Leader

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has caused an international incident after she criticized Iraq's leading candidate to become prime minister as a result of last month's historic election, prompting a sharp rebuke.

"Hillary Clinton, as far as I know, does not represent any political decision or the American administration, and I don't know why she said this," Dr. Ibrahim Jafari, who is expected to become prime minister, told the Times of London on Thursday.

"She knows nothing about the Iraqi situation," he added.

During an interview last Sunday, Clinton complained about Jafari's nomination by the duly elected Shia coalition.

"I think that there are grounds both for concern and for, you know, vigilance about this," she told NBC's "Meet the Press." "It is a historical fact that he, along with the Dawa Party, have had connections with Iran . . . There are also family ties and religious ties."

The comments angered Dr. Jafari, a physician from Karbala who fled to Iran only after Saddam Hussein had members of his party killed. He blasted Mrs. Clinton as ill-informed.

"We are not at an American traffic light to be given a red or green signal," Jafari told the Times. "I am speaking on behalf of a collective decision. I will stop when the Iraqi people say to stop."

The Bush administration has not expressed concerns similar to Mrs. Clinton's, said the New York Sun, which first reported Dr. Jafari's comments in the U.S.