The vote on the controversial Iraqi-U.S. security pact had been delayed due to bitter, sectarian-based infighting between political factions in parliament.

But today, it sailed through the Iraqi legislature by a comfortable majority.

Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani said lawmakers overwhelming approved the agreement by a show of hands.

"The by-law approving the pact has been passed by a majority of 144 votes. Now those who voted against: there are 35. The session is adjourned until December 13, 2008," al-Mashhadani said.

It must now be ratified by the Presidential Council, which is expected to endorse it.

The deal rules that U.S. troops will have to pull out of Iraqi cities by the middle of next year and leave the country entirely by the end of 2011 -- almost eight years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Baghdad will also have strict oversight over U.S. troops, with all military operations now approved by a joint U.S.-Iraqi committee.