Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari asked New Zeland for military help in its fight against the terrorist group ISIL .

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari asked New Zeland for military help in its fight against the ISIL terrorist group.

In a press conference with his counterpart Murray McCully during a visit to New Zealand on Friday, Jaafari told the government in Auckland today Iraq needed help with training and other areas.

Jaafari said Iraq was looking forward to support from the international community including "friendly" New Zealand in terms of training, logistics and support, aerial support, intelligence sharing and humanitarian assistance.

"The support from the international coalition is limited to providing advisory training. We have not demanded and do not require fighting battalions or grounds troops to be engaged in the fight," he said.

The Iraqi Army, National Guard, tribal forces, volunteers and the Peshmerga forces in the north were already fighting the group, The Iraqi minister said.

The advisory support would be in close coordination with the Iraqi forces so it can make the most of it without endangering troops from other countries, Jaafari said.

While there was no specific invitation for New Zealand to help, both countries would work through the "right mechanisms and techniques" of getting forces on the ground which don't breach Iraqi law or sovereignty – the same process as it did with other countries.

On his part, McCully said today's meeting was "helpful", especially given New Zealand does not have an embassy in Baghdad, and gave a better understanding about what Iraq needed.

"I've taken the opportunity to outline the process by which the New Zealand Government is giving consideration to those areas including in the area of training."