Local TV reporter Muntader al-Zaidi wrote a letter to Mr Maliki asking for forgiveness over his "ugly act", prime minister’s spokesman Yasin Majeed said.

But…

…according to Reuters news agency, one of Mr Zaidi’s brothers expressed scepticism over the merits of the letter. "This information is absolutely not true. This is a lie. Muntader is my brother and I know him very well. He does not apologise," Udai al-Zaidi said. He added: "But if it happened, I tell you it happened under pressure."