France and Britain warned on Sunday against calls for reprisals after the US killing of Iran’s Quds Force commander General Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike in Baghdad.
President Emmanuel Macron expressed France's solidarity with its allies during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Sunday and said Iran must avoid "destabilizing" actions.
"Given the recent rise in tensions in Iraq and the region, the President of the Republic highlighted his total solidarity with our allies in light of the attacks carried out in recent weeks against the coalition in Iraq," Macron's office said in a statement.
"He also expressed his concerns regarding the destabilizing activities of the Quds force under General Qassem Soleimani and highlighted the need for Iran... to avoid taking any measures that could lead to an escalation in the situation and destablizing the region."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would not lament Soleimani, but called for restraint in the response to his death.
Soleimani "was responsible for a pattern of disruptive, destabilizing behavior in the region. Given the leading role he has played in actions that have led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and western personnel, we will not lament his death", Johnson said in an emailed statement.
He added: "Calls for ... reprisals will simply lead to more violence."
Johnson said he had spoken with Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Macron about the rising tension in the Middle East, adding: "We are in close contact with all sides to encourage deescalation."
He said steps had been taken to increase the security of British personnel and interests in the region.
