Jaishankar dials Pompeo, shares India's concerns on 'evolving situation' in Gulf region

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday spoke to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the phone and shared India's concerns over the 'evolving situation' in the Gulf region after the killing of Iran's senior military commander Qasem Soleimani in a US-led airstrike.

"Had a telephonic discussion with Secretary of State @SecPompeo on the evolving situation in the Gulf region. Highlighted India's stakes and concerns," the External Affairs Minister wrote on his Twitter handle.

Tensions have soared in the Gulf following the killing of Soleimani in the US airstrike near Baghdad international airport on Friday.

Prior to Pompeo, Jaishankar had also called up his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and expressed concern over the recent turn of events in the Middle East

After the talks, Jaishankar in a tweet further highlighted that developments in the region have "taken a very serious turn" in the wake of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani's killing in a US airstrike.

Jaishankar also spoke to his Omani counterpart Yusuf Alawi and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, over the 'tense situation' in the region.

India, in a statement on Friday, had advocated 'restraint' in the context of tension in the US-Iran relationship.

The recent developments have led to a sharp rise in international oil prices.

Earlier today, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that tensions in Iran should subside; otherwise, India will have to look to import oil from the countries apart from Gulf countries.

"In today's times, when there is tension in the oil-producing countries, then there is a direct impact on the prices of oil in the markets. India hopes that there is no tension in the oil-producing countries. It is in the interest of everyone," Pradhan told reporters in Varanasi.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, who ordered the attack, said that the raid was made to stop a war and not start one, as tensions between the two countries were already escalating.

He also said the US' response will be "very fast and very hard", adding that Soleimani was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks" on Americans.