De-escalation is 'in Iraq, Iran's interest': EU chief

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday urged Iran and Iraq not to further escalate a crisis in the region as tensions with Washington soared following a US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general.

"It is important now... to use diplomatic channels and to make clear that it is also in the interest of Iran and in particular in the interest of Iraq to take the path of sobriety and not the path of escalation," von der Leyen told journalists at a meeting of Germany's CSU party.