BAGHDAD (alalam.ir) - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned Tuesday that Iraq's fight against terror will be "open-ended and long'' and called for the creation of "salvation councils'' across the country to bring together Iraqis to fight al-Qaeda militants.

In a televised address marking the first anniversary of his government, al-Maliki also warned unnamed foreign parties that they would pay a "high price'' of their own security for meddling in Iraq.

"I call on the faithful and patriotic clans and civil society organizations to set up national salvation councils in all of Iraq's provinces and stand by the armed forces in the fight against terrorism which is targeting Iraq's territory, people and heritage,'' said the prime minister.

His call appeared to be for the creation of councils modeled after an alliance of Arab clans which banded together in the western Anbar province to drive al-Qaeda militants from their areas. The tactic seems to have worked, with Ramadi, the provincial capital, no longer under extremist control.

Steps are under way to copy the Anbar formula in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad where al-Qaeda is known to be active. Attacks against US and Iraqi troops as well as civilians have been increasing there. "Our battle against terrorism is open-ended and long and no one should think that this battle will end today or tomorrow,'' said al-Maliki. "The security challenges facing Iraq are very grave and what is making them worse is foreign meddling and the response and submission of some political powers to the influence of several nations.''

He also warned Iraqi groups, saying that doing so would turn Iraq into a battlefield for regional and international powers to settle their scores.

Al-Maliki's government has been under mounting pressure at home and abroad to show any tangible progress on security, national reconciliation and the economy.

Al-Maliki said national reconciliation was placed atop of his government's priorities when it came to office a year ago. Al-Maliki, however, warned that he would not allow his efforts to achieve national reconciliation to be hijacked by those who want to turn it into "a bridge for the return of murderers and criminals ... the new Iraq has no place for the Baath Party whose history is full of coups, conspiracies, crime and genocide.''