Shia militia leader Hadi al-Amiri, one of the most powerful figures in Iraq, withdrew his candidacy for prime minister on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday underlined Germany's long-term commitment to helping rebuild Iraq as she met with her Iraqi counterpart Irfan al-Hayali in Baghdad to discuss the German army's deployment in his country.

Suspected Islamic State group members planted the bomb in a pickup left outside the restaurant by an important highway in Hajjaj.

Iraqi security sources said three Katyusha rockets fired by unknown assailants had hit the perimeter of the airport, although no damage or casualties had been reported.

.Iraqi protesters set fire to several government buildings in the southern city of Basra on Thursday after authorities cancelled a proposed curfew that was aimed at quelling demonstrations.

One protester died and 25 more were injured during violent clashes on with security forces on Wednesday night in Iraq's southern oil hub Basra, local health and security sources said.

The United Nations envoy to Iraq called Wednesday for "calm" in Basra, after six died in the bloodiest day of protests over poor public services in the southern city.

A protester has died and six more were wounded in clashes with security forces in Iraq's southern oil hub Basra on Monday night, local health and security sources said.

Iraqi lawmakers convened on Monday with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and a populist cleric together seeking to form a government and sideline pro-Iran rivals.

Officials at the field in the southern oil hub of Basra said operations were running normally.

Iraq will send a delegation to the United States seeking an agreement on financial transactions with Iran following Washington's reimposition of sanctions on Tehran, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Sunday to bring peace and safety to Iraq and areas in Syria not under Turkish control and said terrorist organisations in those areas would be eliminated.