On the impact of the American-Iranian mutual threats following the killing of Soleimani ... an international diplomatic momentum to contain the escalation

International moves and contacts to contain escalation in the Middle East coincide with the persistent mutual threats between Washington and Tehran against the background of the killing of Qassem Soleimani, and calls for calm and restraint have been issued.

Tehran renewed its demand for Washington to leave the region, where the adviser of the Iranian guide for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati said that the United States should leave, otherwise it would have to deal with a new Vietnam, as he put it.

Velayati added that despite the threats of US President Donald Trump, Iranian moves will make Washington regret the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, who he described as a "strategic mistake."

For his part, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Air Force called Major General Amir Haji Zadeh

The US President needs to prepare the coffins for his soldiers before he makes threats to Iran.

Haji Zadeh vowed that the real revenge for the assassination of Soleimani would be to remove American forces from the Middle East, as he put it.

And the commander of the Air Force in the Revolutionary Guards warned Washington that the war it had started against his country would not be the decision to end it with her hand.
On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his country's dissatisfaction with the positions of Britain and Germany regarding the recent events and the assassination of Soleimani.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Zarif confirmed, during receiving two phone calls from the Foreign Ministers of Germany and Britain, that European countries are not aware of the region's conditions well, pointing out that this is a strategic mistake, he said.

Zarif assured his British and German counterparts that Washington is responsible for any escalation in the region and destabilization of security and stability in it after the assassination of Soleimani.

Regarding the nuclear agreement, Zarif said that the failure of European countries to take the necessary measures to implement their obligations towards Iran led to Iran's decision to reduce its nuclear obligations.

International concern
For his part, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his deep concern over the rise of tension, and called on world leaders to exercise maximum restraint and resume dialogue.

He warned the Secretary-General of the United Nations that what he described as a crucible of tension is pushing more and more countries to take unexpected decisions, which have unpredictable consequences, and carry a high risk of miscalculation.

As for the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg, he said that there is a need to reduce the escalation by Iran and the United States so that tension does not increase in the region.

Stoltenberg also called, during an emergency NATO summit in Brussels, for restraint in the Middle East.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşo أوlu said that his country was making intensive efforts to reduce US-Iranian tension.

At a press conference in the Turkish capital, Gawishoglu said that Soleimani's death posed a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.

The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul-Rahman Al-Thani also discussed, in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, developments in Iraq and ways to resolve contentious issues in the region.

Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman also made another call to his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in which they discussed the latest developments on the regional scene, especially developments in Iraq.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said that Saudi Arabia is keen not to escalate in the region.

During a meeting to sign the charter of the coastal countries of the Red Sea, in Riyadh, the Saudi minister said that Saudi Arabia hopes that the situation in the region will not escalate.

De-escalation
In Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that Defense Minister Sergei Shoygo discussed with Iranian Chief of Staff Muhammad Bagheri in a telephone call the actual steps to prevent the escalation of the situation in the Middle East.

On the other hand, the Russian Minister of Defense held a telephone conversation with the head of the Turkish intelligence service, Hakan Vidan, during which they discussed developments in the Middle East.

The two sides also discussed Moscow and Ankara's efforts to reduce escalation in the region.

For his part, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed his country's deep concern about the tension in the Middle East, and stressed its adherence to the security and stability of the region.

The spokesman said that Beijing has always stood against the use of military force, considering that what he called the recent American military adventure constitutes a violation of the rules of international relations, and increases tension in the region.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, during his meeting with the American ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Toller, stressed the need for joint action to implement the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, according to the decision of the Iraqi parliament, and to put relations with the United States on sound foundations.

Abdul-Mahdi stressed that Iraq is making all possible efforts to prevent the slide of an open war, in light of the gravity of the current situation and its possible repercussions.

Abdul-Mahdi also said that his government pursues a consistent policy to establish relations with all, and not to engage in a policy of axes, and Iraq’s keenness that its relations be based on cooperation and mutual respect and preserving its security, stability and national sovereignty.

The funeral procession took place in the Iranian city of Qom, the bodies of Qassem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, and the bodies of those killed in the American attack that occurred near Baghdad airport.

In Tehran, funeral ceremonies were presented by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who performed the funeral prayer for the two bodies.