The United States on Tuesday vowed to support Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and the leaders in Iraq to move forward on holding elections in January.

"Our position is clear that we support Prime Minister Allawi and the Iraqi people, who want to move forward on elections by theend of January," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said at a news briefing.

"We are confident that we will be able to hold free and fair elections throughout Iraq by the end of January as long as we continue to partner with the Iraqi leaders to address the continuing challenges that they face," McClellan said.

McClellan said that once a "free and peaceful" Iraq is achieved,"it will be a devastating blow to the terrorists and their ambitions."

The United States has said that the goal of holding Iraq's election in January is "achievable and doable" despite the escalating violence in the country.

Allawi, who addressed the US Congress on Thursday, has vowed tohold the elections on time.

Iraq is to hold parliamentary elections in next January.

Source: Xinhua