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Dominic Raab has urged “all parties to de-escalate” after a US airstrike killed Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani.

The Foreign Secretary said "further conflict is in none of our interests" after Iranian leaders pledged “severe retaliation” to the airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump.

Gen. Soleimani, 62, was being driven by car at Baghdad airport when the fatal attack took place, also killing top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

The US Defence Department said Gen Soleimani was targeted because he was "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members" in the region.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that "severe revenge awaits the criminals" behind the strike and announced three days of national mourning.

Mr Raab issued a statement saying the Government had "always recognised the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds force led" by the general.

"Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests," Mr Raab added.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn hit out at the Government, telling them to stand up to the "belligerent actions and rhetoric" from the US.

In a statement, Mr Corbyn said: "The US assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani is an extremely serious and dangerous escalation of conflict in the Middle East with global significance.

"The UK Government should urge restraint on the part of both Iran and the US, and stand up to the belligerent actions and rhetoric coming from the United States.

"All countries in the region and beyond should seek to ratchet down the tensions to avoid deepening conflict, which can only bring further misery to the region, 17 years on from the disastrous invasion of Iraq."

Labour leadership hopeful Clive Lewis, who served as a Territorial Army officer and completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan, said: "I shed no tears for Soleimani, he was a cruel man who unleashed suffering for many.

"But violence begets violence, especially without a thought out military strategy. I know this from my time in Afghanistan. The UK must now lead in being a broker for peace."

Sir Kier Starmer said it was an "extremely serious situation" while Jess Phillips said the US strike was "reckless foreign policy".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been celebrating New Year on the private Caribbean island of Mustique, is yet to comment.​

Labour's shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon warned that there is a "real risk" Mr Trump will engage in a war with Iran "that would be even worse than that on Iraq".

Stella Creasy, a Labour MP, called for an "urgent statement" from the PM or Foreign Secretary and suggested a recall of Parliament was needed before Tuesday.

Green MP Caroline Lucas said the strike was "a hugely provocative act in a massively volatile region".

"UK Government must condemn it and work with colleagues in the US to counter Trump's reckless and dangerous foreign policy," she added.

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, a former defence minister who served as a captain in the Army, tweeted "this is big", adding: "Expect repercussions."

Former Middle East minister Alistair Burt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the airstrike was "extremely serious" and could cause "a huge potential escalation".

Mr Burt, who stood down as a Tory MP at the last election, stressed it is "very important now to concentrate on what happens next, and for everybody involved diplomatically to do everything they can to try and diffuse the situation".

The Foreign Office advises British-Iranian dual nationals against all travel to Iran and for other British nationals to seek the department's advice before travelling to the nation.

British nationals risk being arbitrarily detained or arrested by Tehran, the department warns.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been among the dual nationals being held in Iran since she was arrested in 2016 and accused of spying while visiting family.

Her husband warned "things are getting much worse" for relations with Iran, and told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I sit here partly worried for what that means for Nazanin, partly worried what that means for my in-laws, sat in their ordinary living room in Tehran where they're all really worried."

The general was head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' elite Quds Force, and a major figure in the Iranian regime.

His killing marks a dramatic escalation in the regional "shadow war" between Iran and the US and its allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia.

President Hassan Rouhani called the assassination a "heinous crime" and pledged to ramp up military efforts against its perpetrators.

Iraq's prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has warned Friday's attack will "light the fuse" of war.

The countries have been locked in a long conflict that intensified earlier this week with an attack on the US embassy in Iraq by pro-Iranian protestor.