Iraq's embattled prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, meanwhile, threatened to "review" relations with countries that criticised Saddam's execution and announced a new security crackdown in the chaos-wracked country.

In a statement released by the United Nations, Ban "strongly urged the Government of Iraq to grant a stay of execution to those whose death sentences may be carried out in the near future."

Ban's cabinet chief, Vijay Nambiar, sent a letter Saturday to Iraq's UN representative reiterating Ban's backing of a call by the top UN human rights official "for restraint by the Government of Iraq in the execution of death sentences imposed by the Iraqi High Tribunal," the statement said.