Pompeo discusses strike with foreign leaders

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on the phone with multiple world leaders about the strike that killed Soleimani in Iraq, including the foreign ministers of the UK, Germany, France and Russia.

He also spoke to Pakistan's chief of staff, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and Chinese Politburo member Yang Jiechi.

In a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pompeo thanked the crown prince for "Saudi Arabia's steadfast support and for recognizing the continuing aggressive threats posed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force", according to a statement.

Pompeo similarly thanked Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in a phone call.

The secretary of state said in an interview with CNN on Friday that the strike was made in order to "save American lives", that there were imminent threats Iran was planning in the region.

The US's top diplomat has stressed multiple times that Washington "remains committed to de-escalation".