Iraq’s parliament failed to reach a quorum Thursday, officials said, banning it from voting on a request to announce a state of emergency to deal with a major terrorist offensive.

Iraq's parliament failed to reach a quorum Thursday, officials said, banning it from voting on a request to announce a state of emergency to deal with a major terrorist offensive.

Only 128 of 325 MPs attended the session.

The "emergency session", which had been announced two days before, was then cancelled.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the president's office submitted a request for parliament to declare a state of emergency on Tuesday.