California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein had dinner with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, it was revealed Thursday morning, as tensions continue to rise in the Gulf region.

The Senator’s team told Politico Playbook that the dinner between the two, which occurred a few weeks ago when Zarif was in the U.S., was ‘arranged in consultation with the State Department.’

"The office was in touch with State in advance of the meeting to let them know it was happening and to get an update on U.S.-Iran activity,” Feinstein’s office said.

She was also seen in an elevator at the Capitol recently with Zarif’s contact information pulled up on her iPhone.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein had dinner with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif when he was in the U.S. a few weeks ago

Feinstein's office said the dinner with the Iranian diplomat was ‘arranged in consultation with the State Department.’ But the department said it did not ask the Senator to hold a dinner with Zarif

An official with the Department of State, however, said they did ask Feinstein to have dinner with the Iranian diplomat.

Feinstein is the former chair and vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and is currently in the minority as a Democratic member of the Senate.

Zarif is American-educated, and is the official who worked with former Secretary of State John Kerry on the divisive nuclear deal, which President Donald Trump announced the U.S. was withdrawing from in May 2018.

Trump called Iran the 'number one provocateur of terror in this country' as the war of words between the two nations continues.

'They've been very hostile. Truly been the number one provocateur of terror in this country and representing their country, but certainly our country has been very much involved because we're trying to help a lot of people out and I don't mind that at all,' the president told reporters on the South Lawn as he left for a campaign rally in Pennsylvania Monday.

Over the weekend, Trump issued a threat to the Islamic nation.

Feinstein was previously the chair and vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but she is now in the minority of her chamber as a Senate Democrat

Tensions have been rising in the Gulf region, and the two nations have been engaging in a war of words. 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran,' Trump tweeted May 20

'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' Trump posted to Twitter May 20.

Zarif hit back, claiming Trump had been 'goaded' into 'genocidal taunts.'

‘'[Trump] hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won't 'end Iran'. #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect-it works!' Zarif tweeted.

Amid the rising tensions, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told lawmakers that the U.S. is seeking to deter Iran, not provoke the adversary.

'Our biggest focus at this point is to prevent Iranian miscalculation,’ Shanahan told reporters.

U.S. officials say the Pentagon plans to send an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East to beef up defenses against potential Iranian threats in the region, and is presenting that plan to the White House on Thursday.

The officials said no final decision has been made yet, and it's not clear if the White House would approve sending all or just some of the requested forces.

Officials said the move is not in response to any new threat from Iran but is aimed at reinforcing security in the region.