Iraqi president, Pompeo discuss need to reduce regional tensions

Iraqi President Barham Salih received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the need to reduce tensions in the region, the Iraqi presidency office said in a statement on Sunday.

During the phone call on Saturday evening, they reviewed the latest security, political, regional and international developments, the statement said.

They "emphasized the need to protect Iraqi sovereignty and respect the independence of the Iraqi national decision," it added.

Salih and Pompeo also affirmed the need for restraint, calm and constructive dialogue in resolving crises to strengthen peace and stability in the region and the world.

They also discussed joint coordination to confront the Islamic State militants and to prevent terrorists from reorganizing their remnants and threatening international peace and security.

The phone call came as the tension has grown high between the United States and Iran after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, by a U.S. drone strike on Jan. 3 near Baghdad International Airport.

In response, Iran launched on Jan. 8 ballistic missiles on military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq's western province of Anbar and near the city of Erbil, capital of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

(CGTN)