OTTAWA—Canada’s mission to train Iraqi security forces faces an uncertain future as the fallout from the U.S. airstrike that killed an Iranian general continues to roil the region and threatens coalition efforts to stabilize the country.

NATO members called for lower tensions, singling out Iran’s “destabilizing activities” as they met Monday in an emergency meeting to weigh the evolving crisis and the future of its Canadian-led training mission in Iraq.

That mission was suspended in the wake of Friday’s airstrike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who U.S. President Donald Trump said was responsible for terror attacks that have killed hundreds.

“In everything that we do, the safety of our personnel is paramount. As such, we have for the time being suspended our training on the ground and are taking all precautions necessary to protect our people,” Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary-general, told reporters following the meeting.

“We are keeping the situation under close review and we remain in close contact with the Iraq authorities. NATO is prepared to continue our training and capacity building when the situation permits,” he said.

Stoltenberg said that allies have long expressed concerns about Iran’s activities in the Middle East, and pointed to a recent attack on a Saudi oil facility and the downing of a U.S. drone.

“We agree that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. We share concerns about Iran’s missile tests and we are united in condemning Iran’s support for a variety of different terrorist groups,” he said.

A photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Press Office shows the burning wreckage of a vehicle following an American drone strike outside the Baghdad airport early on Friday. Qasem Soleimani, the powerful and shadowy spymaster at the head of Iran's security machinery, was killed in the drone strike. NYT

“At the meeting today, allies called for restraint and de-escalation. A new conflict would be in no one’s interest. Iran must refrain from further violence and provocations.”

Security concerns prompted the broader coalition that came together in 2014 to combat Islamic State insurgents to also pause its training of Iraqi security forces and support to their operations against ISIS. Instead, the focus now is on protecting the bases that house coalition troops. “We remain ready to return our full attention and efforts back to our shared goal of ensuring the lasting defeat of (ISIS),” the coalition said in a statement.

Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne spoke with his Iraqi counterpart, Mohammed Ali al-Hakim, and reiterated Canada’s commitment to a “stable and united Iraq.”

“The two ministers agreed that a de-escalation in tensions is necessary as peace and stability are key to pursuing the political and economic reforms underway in Iraq,” according to a statement issued by Champagne’s office.

A government official said an escalation of the crisis would imperil efforts to stabilize the Iraqi government.

“Gen. Soleimani is someone that we have been concerned about for a long time. Now that he has been killed, we are very much of the view that we need make moves to ensure this doesn’t end up spiralling into something bigger,” said the official, who spoke on background because of the sensitivity of diplomatic discussions.

NATO’s mission role to train local Iraqi forces is currently led by Canadian Maj.-Gen. Jennie Carnigan. Canada has 500 personnel deployed in Iraq, with some 250 dedicated to the NATO mission along with three Griffon helicopters. The rest are involved in Operation Impact, Canada’s ongoing mission to train security forces in the country.

But the turmoil created by Washington’s targeted killing of Soleimani as he left Baghdad airport Friday has put those efforts in limbo. Iran is vowing to retaliate and Iraqi lawmakers on Sunday passed a non-binding resolution seeking the exit of American and allied forces from their country.

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The fate of coalition forces faced further confusion Monday when a senior U.S. military official issued a letter suggesting that a troop pullout would be happening over the coming days “in deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament,” according to media reports.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said later there’s been no decision to withdraw troops, according to the Associated Press.

The Iraqi resolution is non-binding but it speaks to the current political climate in Iraq, said Bessma Momani, a professor at the University of Waterloo and senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

“It does not mean that we are being asked to leave ... it’s purely symbolic,” she said.

Canadian forces first deployed to the region in 2014 as part of the coalition to combat ISIS insurgents, who had overrun large parts of Iraq. More than five years later, that territory has been reclaimed and ISIS no longer holds territory, she said.

“As a military force, ISIS is spent. As an ideological force, it’s still going to be active and it certainly still has its tentacles in terrorist activity,” Momani said.

“Our role is not really to fight ISIS ... that mission is finished,” she said. “We are also really there to professionalize the Iraqi army so it can stand on its own two feet.”

The current turmoil puts a question mark over when that role can resume. “There’s no work for us to do. It’s basically hunker down and wait for this to pass,” she said.

Soleimani was a “monster,” Momani said, but his killing is a setback to regional security and reveals that American understanding about Iraq and Iran is “so problematic.

“If they understood that this guy was seen as practically a saint they wouldn’t have done something so stupid. He’s not just a general ... he’s got a cult following,” she said.

At Monday’s meeting, Stoltenberg said there was “very strong” support for the NATO training mission, seen as a critical part of the global efforts to combat ISIS.

“The best weapons we have in the fight against international terrorism is to train local forces, build local capacity and that’s exactly what the coalition is doing,” he said.