Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson have issued a joint statement regarding the death of Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian military general.
Soleimani was killed on Friday after being targeted by a US military airstrike in Iraq. He was one of Iran's most important military figures, and commander of their Quds Force, which specialises in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations.
The assassination was seen as a major escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran, who have shared an enmity lasting decades. President Donald Trump has said the US is prepared to strike 52 targets in Iran should the gulf nation retaliate.
Today, the heads of governments of Germany, France and the UK issued a statement regarding the recent events in Iraq.
"We have condemned the recent attacks on coalitions forces in Iraq and are gravely concerned by the negative role Iran has played in the region, including through the IRGC and the Al-Qods force under the command of General Soleimani.
"There is now an urgent need for de-escalation. We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped."
The statement singled out Iran in a call for restraint from "further violent action or proliferation" and did not specifically mention the United States.
"We specifically call on Iran to refrain from further violent action or proliferation, and urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with the JCPOA," it read.
"We recall our attachment to the sovereignty and security of Iraq. Another crisis risks jeopardising years of efforts to stabilise Iraq."
The leaders also restated their commitment to fighting ISIS, referred to within the statement as 'Daesh.'
We also reaffirm our commitment to continue the fight against Daesh, which remains a high priority. The preservation of the Coalition is key in this regard. We therefore urge the Iraqi authorities to continue providing the Coalition all the necessary support.
The statement can be read in full
here.
