Journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi hurled two shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush during a news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Sunday. (Associated Press)

An Iraqi journalist who garnered international headlines for throwing his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush is asking his country's prime minister to pardon his "ugly act."

Officials are holding Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who faces two years in jail for insulting a foreign leader.

"It is too late to now regret the big and ugly act that I perpetrated," al-Zeidi wrote in a letter delivered to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, according to the prime minister's spokesman, Yassin Majid.

"So I ask for your pardon," al-Zeidi wrote, Majid said.

Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, can issue a pardon if recommended by the prime minister, except for certain offenses including international crimes, according to Iraq's constitution.

The shoe-throwing incident has sparked strong passions within Iraq. Thousands of Iraqis hit the street to protest al-Zeidi’s arrest.

On Wednesday, Iraqi parliament descended into chaos as arguments erupted over whether to free the journalist. Following the raucous meeting, Iraq’s parliamentary Speaker said he may resign, but he appeared in the legislature on Thursday.

On Sunday, during a news conference in Baghdad, al-Zeidi, a correspondent for an Iraqi-owned television station based in Cairo, hurled two shoes at Bush and called him a dog.

Bush dodged both pieces of footwear and has publicly stated he did not feel threatened by the incident.

In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes is a sign of contempt. Many Iraqis believe al-Zeidi was a hero for insulting an American president widely blamed for the chaos that has engulfed their country since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

Dhargham al-Zeidi claims his brother was severely beaten after being taken into custody.

However, Iraqi officials and another brother deny the journalist suffered severe injuries.

With files from the Associated Press