Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Sunday criticized an assassination attempt carried out by a drone targeting his official residence and called for calm dialogue among all Iraqis for the future of the country.

Al-Kadhimi confirmed in a video posted on his official Twitter page that he and other workers at his residence are safe, stressing that "cowardly missiles and cowardly drones do not build a homeland or a future (for the country), and we are working to build our homeland by respecting the state and its institutions and creating a better future for all Iraqis."

"I call on all parties to resort to calm dialogue to build Iraq and its future," al-Kadhimi said in his speech, which was also aired by the official Iraqiya channel. 

At dawn, al-Kadhimi escaped unhurt an assassination attempt by a booby-trapped drone that landed on his residence in the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses some of the main offices of the Iraqi government and foreign embassies.

The assassination attempt came amid protests by followers of political parties rejecting last month's election results.

On Friday, the protests developed to a clash with the security forces at the entrances of the Green Zone, which led to the killing of two protesters and the wounding of dozens of security members and protesters.

In the parliamentary elections on October 10, the Sadrist Movement, led by prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, took the lead with more than 70 seats, while the al-Fatah (Conquest) Coalition garnered 17 seats compared with 47 in the 2018 elections.

Political parties unsatisfied with the results said the elections were manipulated and that they would not accept the "fabricated results."

Followers of the political parties rejecting the election results took to the streets in many Iraqi cities, including the capital Baghdad, when the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission is still considering the appeals and complaints submitted by the political parties.  

On Friday, al-Kadhimi, a former intelligence chief, ordered the formation of a committee to investigate following clashes between Iraqi security forces and supporters of parties that are disputing the general election result.

Al-Kadhimi is heading a caretaker government as talks are underway to decide the next cabinet formation. He is a potential candidate to remain as prime minister.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the PM.

According to AFP citing an unnamed source that the attack was carried out using three drones, two of which were shot down.

They were "launched from a site near Republic Bridge" which crosses the Tigris River in Baghdad, before flying towards the Green Zone, the source told AFP.

Drone or rocket attacks have been rampant across Iraq. Most of these attacks were launched by Iraqi militias and targeted American assets in the country.

Global reactions

The United States State Department spokesman Ned Price condemned the attack as an "apparent act of terrorism" and offered assistance with the investigation. 

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the attack was a "cowardly terrorist act", Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported.

Iran's top security official, Ali Shamkhani, condemned the attack, calling it "a new sedition" in a tweet. 

French foreign ministry said it condemned the attempted assassination "in the strongest term," adding France "rejects in this context any form of destabilization of the country, violence and intimidation" and it "stands alongside the Iraqi authorities and people and calls for restraint."

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun condemned the attack "an attempt to target Iraq's stability, security and efforts towards national unity."

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati  also made a phone call to his Iraqi counterpart to check on him and expressed hope for Iraq for continued security and stability.

(With input from agencies)