Russian ministries warn of serious consequences of killing Iranian commander

The killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike on Friday is fraught with grave consequences for regional peace and stability, both the Russian foreign and defense ministries said.

"Such an action does not contribute to finding solutions to the complex problems that have accumulated in the Middle East, but rather leads to a new round of escalation of tensions in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it was alarmed by the information that Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, was killed in the U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the "short-sighted" move of the United States will lead to a sharp escalation of the military-political situation in the Middle East and serious negative consequences for the entire international security system.

Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed "severe revenge" for the deadly attack.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)