Vital that situation doesn't escalate further: India advocates restraint after US airstrike killed top Iranian commander

Hours after a US airstrike near Baghdad international airport killed Iran's elite Quds Force chief General Qassem Soleimani, India on Friday called for restraint, saying that it is vital that the situation does not escalate further.

Hours after a US airstrike near Baghdad international airport killed Iran's elite Quds Force chief General Qassem Soleimani, India on Friday called for restraint, saying that it is vital that the situation does not escalate further. "We have noted that a senior Iranian leader has been killed by the US. The increase in tension has alarmed the world. Peace, stability, and security in this region is of utmost importance to India," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"It is vital that the situation does not escalate further. India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so," it added. Soleimani, a US-designated terrorist, along with six others, were killed in the airstrike carried out by the United States near Baghdad's international airport.

The strike has escalated tensions between the US and Iran. Russia, China and Syria have condemned the US move while Iran has vowed to take "vigorous revenge" over the killing.