Iraq's President Salih discusses ongoing political turmoil with his country's top officials 

Iraqi President Barham Salih held talks with his country's top officials on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing political crisis in the country.

Attending the meeting were Faiq Zidan, President of the Supreme Judicial Council and Chief of the Federal Court of Cassation, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Parliament Speaker, Mohammed al-Halboosi.

Iraq has been mired in political deadlock for months, with followers of influential Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr and his political rivals, the Iran-backed Shiite groups, at odds since after last year’s parliamentary elections.

Al-Sadr won the largest share of seats in the October vote but failed to form a majority government, leading to what has become one of the worst political crises in Iraq in recent years. His supporters in late July stormed the parliament and have held frequent protests there.

A statement from the presidential office said that the meeting's participants had urged security forces to ensure stability and security in the country, and that "under no circumstances" should they become "drowned in the unrelenting cycle of these political differences."

The meeting's attendees stressed that the "ongoing political deadlock and the absence of sustainable political solutions affect the role of Iraq within the international community," the statement added.