BAGHDAD — Iraq's prime minister has pressed for faster deliveries of weapons to help arm his country's military during a meeting with a senior U.S. defense official.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office said in a statement Thursday the Iraqi leader made the request during talks with U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in Baghdad.

Maliki says Iraq needs to beef up its defenses to protect the country's security and national sovereignty.

Carter visited the Iraqi capital during a Mideast tour that also included stops in U.S. allies Kuwait and Qatar.

Iraq has agreed to buy a range of American-made weapons, including tanks and F-16 fighter jets, as it works to rebuild and modernize its military.