Germany on Friday urged restraint and de-escalation after the US killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, sending tensions soaring in the region.

"We are at a dangerous point of escalation. It is now important through prudence and restraint to contribute to de-escalation," said Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.

"We, too, view Iran's activities in the region with great concern," she said, but warned that any conflicts can only be resolved through "diplomatic paths".

"It is particularly important to prevent Iran from being dragged deeper into a conflict, because everyone has an interest in the continuing battle against IS" jihadists, she added.

US killing of Iran general will 'increase tensions': Moscow
Moscow (AFP) Jan 3, 2020 - Moscow warned Friday that the US killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq would boost tensions across the Middle East.

"The killing of Soleimani... was an adventurist step that will increase tensions throughout the region," news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

"Soleimani served the cause of protecting Iran's national interests with devotion. We express our sincere condolences to the Iranian people."

Russia and Iran are key allies in the Middle East, with the militaries of both countries backing President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.

Moscow is also one of the world powers that negotiated the landmark Iran nuclear deal that Washington withdrew from in 2018, leading to a surge in tensions.

Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the foreign affairs committee of the Russian parliament's upper house, said Soleimani's killing was a mistake that would hit back at Washington.

"Retaliatory strikes will certainly follow," he said in a post on his Facebook page, adding that Israel was likely also worried.

He said the killing marked the end of any chance to salvage the nuclear deal.

"The last hopes of resolving the Iranian nuclear problem have been 'bombed'," he wrote.

France says world 'more dangerous' after US killing of Iran general
Paris (AFP) Jan 3, 2020 - The US killing of a top Iranian military commander has made the world "more dangerous," France's Europe minister said Friday, calling for efforts to de-escalate the deepening conflict in the Middle East.

"We have woken up to a more dangerous world," Amelie de Montchalin told RTL radio, saying President Emmanuel Macron would consult soon with "players in the region."

The United States confirmed it was responsible for an airstrike early Friday that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad, ratcheting up the proxy war between the two powers.

"In such operations, when we can see an escalation is underway, but what we want above all is stability and de-escalation," Montchalin said.

"All of France's efforts... in all parts of the world aim to ensure that we are creating the conditions for peace or at least stability," she added.

"Our role is not to take sides, but to talk with everyone," Montchalin said.

China urges 'calm and restraint' after US kills Iran general
Beijing (AFP) Jan 3, 2020 - China on Friday appealed for restraint from all sides, "especially the United States", after top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US strike in Iraq.

The Pentagon said President Donald Trump ordered Soleimani's "killing," after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Baghdad.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to take "severe revenge" after Soleimani was killed when a volley of missiles hit Baghdad's international airport, striking a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary force with close ties to Tehran.

"China has always opposed the use of force in international relations," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily press briefing.

"We urge the relevant sides, especially the United States, to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalating tensions," Geng said.

He said Iraq's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected.

China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is a key partner of Iran and major buyer of the country's oil.

Geng said China urged all sides to abide by the principles of the UN charter and the "basic norms of international relations".

Iran, China and Russia held joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman last week and the Iranian foreign minister visited Beijing earlier this week.

China and Russia are also parties to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, from which Trump withdrew in May last year.

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General Qasem Soleimani: Iran's regional pointman
Tehran (AFP) Jan 3, 2020
Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed Friday in a US strike, was one of the most popular figures in Iran and seen as a deadly adversary by America and its allies. General Soleimani, who headed the external operations Quds Force for the Guards, had wielded his regional clout publicly since 2018 when it was revealed that he had direct involvement in top-level talks over the formation of Iraq's government. It was no surprise at the time for a man who has been at the centre ... read more