Hundreds of supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr gathered outside the headquarters of the Supreme Judicial Council and Federal Supreme Court in capital Baghdad on Tuesday to step up pressure on the Iraqi judiciary to dissolve the parliament. 

The judiciary, which had to suspend its activities for the day, said in a statement that Sadr's followers had also sent threats by phone.

"(We) will suspend court sessions as a protest against this unconstitutional behavior and will hold the government and political parties which are backing this move fully responsible for all the results," according to the statement.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who cut short a trip to Egypt to deal with the crisis, has urged all sides to remain calm and renewed calls for a national dialogue.

(With input from agencies)