Would like situation in Gulf to de-escalate as soon as possible: India

Amid tensions between the US and Iran over the killing of an Iranian military commander, India on Thursday said it would like the situation to de-escalate as soon as possible and was in touch with important players in the Gulf region.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also said India is "very closely" monitoring the situation in the Gulf region.

The remarks come a day after Iran said it will welcome any peace initiative by India to de-escalate tensions with the US following the killing of Qasem 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.

On Wednesday, Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq. Tehran said it was a "slap in the face" of America.

Soleimani's killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US.