President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr over his bloc's win in the Iraqi parliamentary election in a phone call late Friday.

During their conversation Erdoğan urged Sadr to support investigations into alleged irregularities in the election.

Sadr, in turn, said he will work to protect the rights of all people groups in the Iraqi society, including Turkmens, who allege the irregularities.

Both parties stressed their determination to further strengthen Turkish-Iraqi relations.

The May 12 vote — first since Iraq declared victory over Daesh terror group — did not produce a single bloc with a majority, raising the prospect of weeks or even months of negotiations to form a government.

Sadr, whose followers fought U.S. forces in Iraq following the 2003 invasion, won 54 of the chamber's 329 seats. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's "Victory" bloc finished third with 42 seats in a surprisingly poor showing.