Iraq LIVE: Don`t cause trouble in govt formation, John Kerry tells Nouri al-Maliki

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday warned PM Mlaiki to not cause trouble in the process of government formation in Iraq, and allow Fuad Masum to be elected as the PM, reported the AFP.

"We stand absolutely squarely behind President Masum (who) has the responsibility for upholding the constitution of Iraq," Kerry said in Sydney.

Meanwhile, in what adds to the possibility of Maliki remaining as PM, an Iraq federal court has decided that PM Maliki`s Shia-dominated political bloc is biggest in parliament, meaning he could stay on as prime minister, the Reuters reported citing the state TV.

The president, according to the constitution, must now ask Maliki to form a new government in Iraq, added the report.

Marie Harf, deputy US state department spokesman said that the US was "closely monitoring" the situation in Iraq, adding that, "The United States fully supports President Fuad Masum in his role as guarantor of the Iraqi constitution”.

PM Maliki`s comments slamming the President came after the US today issued a statement supporting Fuad Masum as the PM.

Fully support President of #Iraq Fuad Masum as guarantor of the Constitution and a PM nominee who can build a national consensus.

— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) August 10, 2014

Even as calls have intensified for PM Maliki to step down, he remains adamant and has slammed Iraqi President Fuad Masum for deliberately violating constitution and has threatened to take him to court.

"I will submit today an official complaint to the federal court against the president of the Republic for committing a clear constitutional violation for the sake of political calculations," Mr Maliki said in the televised speech.

With a heavy security presence in Baghdad, the capital looks like a fortress. Ahead of giving a defiant speech, PM Maliki deployed troops and Shia militiamen at the strategic points across the capital.

Haider al-Abadi, deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament tweeted that the security scenario appeared quiet tight in Baghdad as security violations were anticipated.

The security situation in Baghdad is very quite and there are movements of forces across the capital in anticipation of security breaches

— Haider Al-Abadi (@HaiderAlAbadi) August 11, 2014

Even as the Islamic State militants took the town of Sinjar a week ago, forcing thousands of Yazidis and Christians to flee the town and take shelter in mountains, Iraq is struggling to nominate a PM as Nuri al-Maliki remains defiant and refuses to give up his bid for a third term as PM.

Maliki`s party had emerged as the single largest party in April`s parliamentary elections, however the Parliament did not name his as PM. Many in Iraq and also the US consider PM Maliki of not doing enough to suppress the Sunni extremism. Maliki is accused of executing sectarian policies that fuelled the frustration among Sunnis and Kurds. Even some of his fellow Shias are of view that Maliki should quit.

Meanwhile the latest advance of the ISIS has triggered the US to carried strikes on the Islamic State targets in Iraq. The US has so far carried out four round of targeted strikes at the ISIS, besides airdropping food and water to the needy civilians hiding in Sinjar mountains.

Sinjar is the ancient home of the Yazidis, one of the towns captured by the Sunni militants who view the community as "devil worshipers" and tell them to convert to Islam or face death.