Russian President Vladimir Putin has scolded US President Donald Trump for aggravating the situation in the Middle East following the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq via drone strike on Friday at Baghdad International Airport.
‘This action can seriously aggravate the situation in the region,’ the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying during a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
His comments came after China and Russia joined European countries and nations across the world in urging ‘restraint’.
Iran branded the strike an act of ‘international terrorism’ and the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed ‘harsh revenge’.
Moscow warned Soleimani’s death would boost tensions across the Middle East and China urged restraint from all sides, ‘especially the United States’.
Britain, France and Germany called for ‘stability’ and ‘calm’ in the region, but did not vilify the assassination.
