Iraqi women, supporters of the Iraqi Workers-Communist Party, stand behind a banner reading in English ‘No to a fascist nationalist Islamist constitution’ as they rally in central Baghdad, Sunday. Talks on Iraq’s new constitution have stalled over the role of Islam and the distribution of the country’s oil wealth. Iraqis have until Monday night to complete work on the draft, otherwise parliament must dissolve. (AP Photo/Samir Mizban) BAGHDAD, Iraq — With a midnight deadline only hours away, Iraq’s political leaders met Monday in search of a compromise over a new constitution, but negotiators said major differences remained over the role of Islam and women’s rights. A Shiite negotiator said the only hope for a deal was through U.S. pressure.

Other issues holding up agreement were believed to include federalism, the distribution of Iraq’s oil wealth, power sharing questions among the provinces and the role of the Shiite clerical hierarchy.

The initial Aug. 15 deadline was pushed back a week after no agreement was reached. Iraqi officials have insisted they would meet this second deadline and present a final document to the National Assembly, which is dominated by Shiites and Kurds.

Negotiators for all three communities — Shiites, Kurds and Sunni Arabs — met in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone for a new round of talks Monday. Shiite politician Khaled al-Attiyah said the political leaders ‘‘have tentatively agreed that the National Assembly would meet’’ Monday evening.

Parliament will either receive the draft of the new charter or vote on setting a new deadline. If it doesn’t agree on either, the legislature will have to dissolve.

But three hours after Monday’s negotiations started, the atmosphere did not seem favorable for compromise.

A Kurdish member of the drafting committee, Abdul-Khaleq Zangana, said there were problems with ‘‘the role of religion and women’s rights.’’ He would not elaborate but predicted ‘‘either an extension — and this is not good — or parliament dissolves — and this is difficult.’’

Shiite lawmaker Bahaa al-Araji accused the Kurds and secular allies of former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of trying to ‘‘curb the political process’’ to bring down the government and force new elections.

‘‘If an agreement is not reached, we will hand a draft and win slight majority in a vote and this is our right,’’ alAraji said.

Another Shiite lawmaker, Mohammed Baqir al-Bahadli, also spoke of differences over the role of Islam, including Kurdish demands that laws be considered constitutional only if they agree with the interpretations of all Islamic sects.

Shiites want the right to apply their own interpretation to fellow Shiites.

‘‘There is a tendency to postpone for a week or a month, and this is not in the interest of the (Shiite) alliance,’’ al-Bahadli said. ‘‘But we can reach a solution today if the Americans put pressure.’’

Such talk of differences between the Shiites and Kurds were significant. Sunni Arab negotiators had complained of being sidelined in the final week of talks and that Shiites and Kurds were cutting deals excluding them. But if the Shiites and Kurds are citing major differences between them, then prospects for a breakthrough would appear even bleaker.

Government spokesman Laith Kubba said there were two options if political leaders fail to complete the draft: amend the interim constitution again and extend the deadline or dissolve parliament.

On Sunday, Sunni representatives on the drafting committee appealed to the United States and United Nations to prevent Shiites and Kurds from pushing a draft through parliament without their consent, warning it would only worsen the crisis in Iraq.

Underscoring the crisis, much of the country lost electricity Monday due to an attack on a major power line between Beiji and Baghdad last week. The power shortage forced a halt in oil exports from southern Iraq because crude could not be pumped into tankers, Iraqi and foreign oil officials said.

Exports through the country’s other export outlet in the north have been long interrupted due to sabotage on the pipeline and virtually all of Iraq’s exports — about 1.5 million barrels a day — go through the southern ports.

A Sunni backlash on the constitution could complicate the U.S. strategy of using the political process to lure members of the minority away from the Sunni-dominated insurgency. Washington hopes that a constitution, followed by general elections in December, will enable the United States and its international partners to begin removing troops next year.

Shiites and Kurds have enough seats in parliament to win approval for a draft without the Sunni Arabs. But the Sunni minority could scuttle the constitution when voters decide whether to ratify it in the Oct. 15 referendum. Under current rules, the constitution would be defeated if it is opposed by two-thirds of the voters in three of Iraq’s 18 provinces. Sunni Arabs form the majority in at least four.