Iran tension: India highlights its concerns with US

New Delhi, Jan 05: Amid escalating tension between US-Iran over the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, Foreign minister S Jaishankar on Sunday dialled his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and said India remained deeply concerned about the levels of tension in the region.

"Just concluded a conversation with FM @JZarif of Iran. Noted that developments have taken a very serious turn. India remains deeply concerned about the levels of tension. We agreed to remain in touch," the External Affairs Minister tweeted.

After his discussion with Pompeo, Jaishankar tweeted, "Had a telephonic discussion with Secretary of State @SecPompeo on the evolving situation in the Gulf region. Highlighted India's stakes and concerns.".

The conversation between the two leaders comes days after Iran's top military commander Soleimani was killed in a US strike.

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that the US has identified 52 possible targets in the country and will hit it harder than ever before if Tehran, which has vowed "severe revenge", carries out any attack against America to avenge the killing of Qassem Soleimani.

Maj Gen Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a US drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday.

The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. Soleimani's killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States.