Iraqi leaders have warned of the risks of war during a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, whose country is locked in a tense standoff with the United States, reports AFP.

Zarif's visit to neighbouring Iraq follows a decision by Washington to deploy 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi warned of the "danger of a war" during a meeting with Zarif on Saturday night, his office said.

Abdel Mahdi pleaded for the "stability of the region and the upholding of the nuclear deal," it said, referring to a 2015 agreement between Tehran and major powers.

Zarif called the deployment of extra US troops to the region "very dangerous and a threat to international peace and security."