Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US was committed to de-escalation in the Gulf and Middle East region following the military operation that took out Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.
This came in three Foreign Department transcripts on Pompeo’s phone conversations with Iraqi President Barham Saleh, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi and Prime Minister of the Kurdistan government of Iraq Masrour Barzani.
The Secretary discussed President Trump’s recent decision to take defensive action to eliminate Qassem Soleimani in response to imminent threats to American lives. Pompeo affirmed to Saleh and Barzani that America was still keen on de-escalation. Saleh, on his part, agreed on halting more tension in the region. Speaker Al-Halbousi delivered a similar statement in regards to lowering tension in Iraq and the region. The Pentagon confirmed the military operation, which took out Soleimani, while the Iranians vowed revenge for the death of the General.