US Barack Obama said on Thursday that he was studying "all options" to face the violence that was striking Iraq by terrorist group ISIL.

US Barack Obama said on Thursday that he was studying "all options" to face the violence that was striking Iraq by terrorist group ISIL.

"What we have seen in the recent days shows how Iraq is going to need more help from the United States and the international community," Obama said in the Oval Office following his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

"Our national security team considers all options," he added.

"We are working tirelessly to identify how to provide the most effective assistance. I will not exclude a thing," he also said without further elaboration.

"The challenge here is to make sure that these jihadists do not settle permanently in Iraq or in Syria," the U.S. President added.

Obama also noted that he has "directly" expressed to the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, his concerns about the lack of political cooperation within the country.

"Honestly, over the years, we have not seen true confidence and cooperation between the moderate Sunni and Shia leaders inside Iraq," he said.



"This explains the weakness of the State and this has an impact on the military potentials of the country," Obama said, stressing that the violence in the recent days should be an alarm signal for the Iraqi government.